SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — UPDATE 6/19/2021 - (AP) — A 63-year-old southwest Missouri man has admitted that he threatened congressmen from Missouri and Tennessee.
Federal prosecutors say Kenneth Hubert of Marionville, Missouri, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of threatening to assault a U.S. official.
He admitted calling U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri the day after the Jan. 6 insurrection and saying the congressmen should have a noose around his neck.
Hubert also admitted calling U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee in May 2019 and also threatening him with a noose.
Hubert said he made the threats because he was upset with comments the two congressmen had made.
Congressman Steve Cohen released the following statement Friday:
The plea agreement establishes that on May 6, 2019, Hubert called Congressman Cohen’s Washington office and told a staff member that he had “a noose with the congressman’s name on it” and planned to “put a noose around his neck” and drag him behind his pickup truck.
Congressman Cohen said: “Threatening speech is never warranted regardless of one’s political views. I’m pleased this type of conduct is being taken seriously by the Department of Justice and that there will be consequences.”
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3/4/2021 - A federal grand jury has indicted a 63-year-old Missouri man accused of threatening two Democratic congressman from Missouri and Tennessee.
Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that Kenneth Hubert, of Marionville, Missouri, is charged with threatening Reps. Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri and Steve Cohen of Tennessee.
Hubert was arrested and made his first court appearance Wednesday. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing on Monday.
The indictment says Hubert threatened on Jan. 7 to assault and kill Cleaver.
He also allegedly threatened to assault and kill Cohen on May 6, 2019.
The indictment says Cohen was threatened in a phone call but it does not say how the threat to Cleaver was transmitted.