A Michigan man was free on $10,000 bond Monday after he was arrested on a charge that he called CNN's Atlanta headquarters and threatened: "Fake news. I'm coming to gun you all down."
The man, Brandon Griesemer, was arrested Friday at the home he shares with his parents in Novi, near Detroit, according to federal court records. He posted bond the same day on a charge of transmitting interstate communications with the intent to extort and threat to injure, according to the court calendar.
According to an FBI affidavit, Griesemer, for whom no age was given, called CNN 22 times on Jan. 9 and 10, railing against African-Americans, Jews and CNN from the same phone number that was used in September to communicate threats against an Islamic center in Ann Arbor. The affidavit alleged that Griesemer admitted making the call to the Islamic center to local police.
Four of the 22 calls to CNN included explicit threats, according to the FBI. In one of the calls, the caller said: "Fake news. I'm coming to gun you all down." In another call, he said, "Your cast is about to get gunned down in a matter of hours."
In a statement, CNN said: "We take any threats to CNN employees or workplaces, around the world, extremely seriously. This one is no exception. We have been in touch with local and federal law enforcement throughout, and have taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of our people."
Who woulda thunk Trump railing and ranting almost daily against all those who report on him would motivate some of his supporters to at least threaten to shoot down journalists? Of course the MAGA guys would go rant about CNN's sins committed against their Lord and Savior of Them Who Are Downtrodden, saying it's "understandable" -- but does anyone really think this is excusable behavior? (Trump undoubtedly would, behind the scenes, but what of the rest?)
So yeah, feel free to comment on what must be a truly exciting development for all Americans all over the world. How long before someone actually does it and shoots any number of mainstream journalists for being fake news? Or is it "how short"?
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:40 am
by Ifreann
When is the President going to speak out against radical Republican terrorism?
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:46 am
by The of Japan
Get this guy some treatment, and while we’re there, let’s fix mental healthcare.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:48 am
by Ifreann
The of Japan wrote:Get this guy some treatment, and while we’re there, let’s fix mental healthcare.
What do you think it wrong with his mental health?
Ifreann wrote:What do you think it wrong with his mental health?
There's obviously something wrong, very wrong, if he is willing to gun down CNN staff because "Fake News"
Plenty of people commit crimes without suffering mental health problems. We can't conclude that this man has a mental health problem just because he committed several crimes.
Ifreann wrote:What do you think it wrong with his mental health?
Maybe he is just arrogant and thinks he can get away with everything. IDK.
If you don't know that he has a mental health problem then why are you bringing it up?
Mental healthcare is atrocious and needs to be improved anyways.
Quite possibly. Starting to seem like that's not relevant to this story, though.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:25 am
by Hirota
Seems like another day in a nation which appears to be dominated by people addicted to hyperbolic hate-filled invective of everyone they disagree with regardless of justification.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:27 am
by Kramania
Glad this didn't turn into another Scalise shooting.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:30 am
by Washington Resistance Army
Tis pretty much par for the course nowadays tbh. This is what happens with extreme levels of political polarization and hyperpartisanship.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:31 am
by Kramania
Ifreann wrote:When is the President going to speak out against radical Republican terrorism?
Is there any information saying he was a Republican?
Just skimmed the article. Maybe I missed something.
Ifreann wrote:When is the President going to speak out against radical Republican terrorism?
Is there any information saying he was a Republican?
Just skimmed the article. Maybe I missed something.
Would you look at that, I assumed he was a Republican because he targeted CNN and railed against African-Americans and Jews, and probably called in threats to an Islamic centre. Consider my head hung in shame.
Topoliani wrote:There's obviously something wrong, very wrong, if he is willing to gun down CNN staff because "Fake News"
Plenty of people commit crimes without suffering mental health problems. We can't conclude that this man has a mental health problem just because he committed several crimes.
The closer you are to being pigmentally challenged, the higher your odds at being mentally impaired when you commit a crime.
Kramania wrote:Is there any information saying he was a Republican?
Just skimmed the article. Maybe I missed something.
Would you look at that, I assumed he was a Republican because he targeted CNN and railed against African-Americans and Jews, and probably called in threats to an Islamic centre. Consider my head hung in shame.
Making assumptions about people now? How bigoted of you. For shame.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:44 am
by Grinning Dragon
Why would anyone waste a good bullet on the likes of CNN anyway? I don't understand why anyone would get that worked up over a bunch of dipshits, christ if their shit show is getting you that worked up, just turn the damn thing off and go for a walk/run/ride.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:45 am
by Kramania
Grinning Dragon wrote:Why would anyone waste a good bullet on the likes of CNN anyway? I don't understand why anyone would get that worked up over a bunch of dipshits, christ if their shit show is getting you that worked up, just turn the damn thing off and go for a walk/run/ride.
Maybe someone strapped him down and forced him to watch Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo for a week straight.
That would be enough to send any man into a homicidal rage.
Kramania wrote:Is there any information saying he was a Republican?
Just skimmed the article. Maybe I missed something.
Would you look at that, I assumed he was a Republican because he targeted CNN and railed against African-Americans and Jews, and probably called in threats to an Islamic centre. Consider my head hung in shame.
Grinning Dragon wrote:Why would anyone waste a good bullet on the likes of CNN anyway? I don't understand why anyone would get that worked up over a bunch of dipshits, christ if their shit show is getting you that worked up, just turn the damn thing off and go for a walk/run/ride.
Maybe someone strapped him down and forced him to watch Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo for a week straight.
That would be enough to send any man into a homicidal rage.
Grinning Dragon wrote:Why would anyone waste a good bullet on the likes of CNN anyway? I don't understand why anyone would get that worked up over a bunch of dipshits, christ if their shit show is getting you that worked up, just turn the damn thing off and go for a walk/run/ride.
Maybe someone strapped him down and forced him to watch Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo for a week straight.
That would be enough to send any man into a homicidal rage.
The same could be said for any of our mainstream news outlets tbh
Ifreann wrote:Would you look at that, I assumed he was a Republican because he targeted CNN and railed against African-Americans and Jews, and probably called in threats to an Islamic centre. Consider my head hung in shame.
Making assumptions about people now? How bigoted of you. For shame.
I'll donate to a suitable charity to purge my sin. Maybe the Clinton Foundation.
RiderSyl wrote: There's no information saying he was white either, but we use this cool thing to figure out Brandon is a white Republican. It's called our brains.
Racist.
I will apologize personally to Brandon over the phone, 22 times.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:20 am