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Californian Charged with|Threatening Congressman

SEATTLE (CN) - A Palm Springs man angry about Congressman Jim McDermott's opposition to tax cuts for the wealthy has been arrested after leaving profanity-filled phone messages at McDermott's Seattle office, threatening to kill him and his family, according to federal charging documents.

Charles Turner Habermann, who was charged with threatening a federal official, is the beneficiary of a $3 million trust fund, according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors say Habermann called Rep. McDermott a "disgusting, filthy, murderous cocksucker" in the first of two threatening messages left on McDermott's voice mail on Dec. 9, 2010.

McDermott, a Democrat, represents Washington's 7th District, which includes most of Seattle.

(Editor's warning: The following quotes from the criminal complaint are filled with unpleasant language, not suitable for children.)

According to the complaint, Habermann's message continued: "Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, or George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, if any of them had ever met uh, uh Jim McDermott, they would all blow his brains out. They'd shoot him, in the head. They'd kill him, because he's a piece of, of, of disgusting garbage. He's a piece of filth. He's a criminal. He advocates stealing people's money to give it to losers. That's a criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, OK. That is what the majority of the Democratic Party engage in every day of every week of every fucking year because they're scumbags. They are disgusting filthy fucking scum bags. And you let that fucking scumbag know, that if he ever fucks around with my money, ever the fuck again, I'll fucking kill him, OK. I'll round them up, I'll kill them, I'll kill his friends, I'll kill his family, I will kill everybody he fucking knows. All right! So if you want to fuck with me, you go ahead but you let that fucker know, the next time he fucks around, I'll kill him, OK! Good night and good bye, you fucker."

According to the criminal complaint, in the second message, left 10 minutes later, Habermann said: "I'll get the fuck rid of him. I'll pay people, I'll pay my friends, I, I grew up in Chicago just like your scumbag fucking Jim McDermott did. I grew up in downtown Chicago, you understand that? Does, does your fucking boy understand that? I grew up in Chicago just like him. But guess what, I'm not a criminal like he is. I'm not a thief like he is. I don't steal other people's money to give it to losers like he does. Your congressman, Jim McDermott is a piece of garbage. And I'll tell you something right now, garbage belongs in the trash that's exactly where he's gonna end up. You understand that? You understand it, you fuckers? You worthless stupid Democrat cocksucking fuckers. You think you can steal my money and get away with it? You think you're gonna steal my fucking money and get away with it, you fuckers. You people are criminal scumbags and I ha, I hate you. I hate Jim McDermott. I hate your friends, I hate his family, I hate his kids, I hate every, everybody fuck ... do you know, I could round them all up, you know, I could look for them. I got a lot of money, you understand? I got a lot of money and I got a lot of friends and that cock-sucker is going down, you understand it? Your cock-sucking loser is going down, and guess what, tell your faggot fucking friend, I'm from Chicago too, and I fucking take care of his ass. Goodbye, motherfucker!"

Habermann identified himself and left his phone number in both messages.

FBI agents interviewed him the next day and Habermann admitting leaving the messages, saying that he was drinking at the time.

"Although Habermann said that he had been drinking alcohol before he made the calls, he said he was 'functioning' when he made the calls. Habermann said that he thought he would have been able to drive his car when he made the calls," according to the complaint.

"As for his motivation for leaving the voicemail messages, Habermann said he was calling politicians to let them know that what they were doing and saying regarding spending taxpayers' money was wrong. He said he was trying to scare them before they spent money that didn't belong to them," the complaint states.

"Habermann stated that he never had any intention of hurting anyone, and that he had too much to lose - referring to his $3,000,000 trust fund - to ever do anything which could get him sent to prison," according to the complaint.

Charging documents say Habermann also left a voicemail message for "Congresswoman C.P." who is not further identified in the complaint.

Last year, the California Highway Patrol Dignity Protection Section gave Habermann a warning for leaving threatening messages for an unidentified California legislator.

"CHP learned that Habermann came into the Assembly member's office on March 18, 2010, to discuss the current health care bill. During the meeting Habermann began ranting about the current federal health care bill and how Habermann was 'very well off' and did not want to support immigrants and Latinos. Habermann was described as agitated, paranoid, uneasy and couldn't keep still. After the meeting concluded, Habermann was escorted out of the office and continued to act uneasy, looking over his shoulders in a paranoid manner," according to the complaint.

U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan said in a statement: "We are blessed to live in a country that guarantees and protects the freedom to disagree with our government and speak our minds. That protection, however, does not extend to threats or acts of violence. Those actions are intended to silence debate, not further it. They instill fear not just in the immediate victims, but in many who might hold the same views or take the same course. Such threats are crimes, and the individuals who make them must be held accountable."

Habermann faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of threatening a federal official.

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