Reince Priebus & President Obama
During a radio interview with Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus, referred to the “execution” of Obama three separate times but claims it was a “slip”?!
“Feingold had mentioned that he thought that it would be good if we captured Obama in the battlefield setting and that he suffered the quote-unquote ultimate punishment there,” Priebus told reporters while attempting to explain that Sen. Feingold (D-Wis.) was “out of the mainstream” because of his opposition to using capital punishment — even on Osama bin Laden — as a tool of the American criminal justice system.
“I find this point that he’s made to be completely disgusting. I think it’s offensive to the people of Wisconsin, I hope he has an explanation as to why he thinks Obama ought not to be executed and why he thinks we ought to bring Osama bin Laden to the United States that he should be captured alive and actually have a trial,” Priebus said later.
Probed by reporters on how Republican Senate candidate Ron Johnson would feel on these issues, Priebus surmised that he would also favor the execution of “Obama.”
“My guess is he would believe that Obama should be executed and he oughta be treated as a war criminal,” Priebus explained.
A reporter from WisPolitics later pointed out his use of Obama instead of Osama.
“You mean Osama bin Laden I take it,” the reporter said. “Uh, right,” responded Priebus.
How does anyone hold the position of Chairman of a GOP and doesn’t know how to distinguish between “Osama Bin Laden” a terrorist and “Obama” the President of the United States? If in fact Reince Pribus deliberately called for the execution of President Obama should he now be brought up on federal charges for threatening a sitting President?
How Does The Law View Threatening A Sitting President?
US Code Title 18 – Crimes and Criminal Procedure – Part I – Crimes – Chapter 41 – Extortion and Threats – Section 871 – Threats against President and successors to the Presidency
Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(Source: US Code Online via GPO Access)
The Secret Service has traditionally interpreted this statute to also cover any online source (e.g., email, web pages, blogs), and have investigated cases accordingly. While actual prosecutions are rare (most “threats” are judged to be misunderstandings, jokes, hyperbole, or other sorts of non-threatening compositions), investigations are common. Even if you are ultimately exonerated, the problems associated with a law enforcement entity’s investigation are numerous and best avoided.
Let’s just see how the Secret Service handles this threat against the President of the United States.
