O’Rourke Calls FBI After Death Threat From GOP Rep

Newsweek reports:

A Texas Republican lawmaker has been reported to the FBI for a tweet in which he appeared to threaten presidential contender Beto O’Rourke after he had made an impassioned plea for tougher gun restrictions.

Rep. Briscoe Cain was reacting to O’Rourke’s statement that he would push for a ban on the possession of certain military-style rifles used in mass shootings in Texas, including in his home town of El Paso, which left 22 people dead, and Odessa and Midland, which killed eight.

Cain’s tweet was removed by Twitter, which said in a statement that it violated its rule that “you may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people,” the Dallas Morning News reported. CNN correspondent Leyla Santiago tweeted that the O’Rourke campaign had informed her that Cain’s remark would be reported to the FBI.

Briscoe Cain first appeared on JMG back in March when a Texas teacher got death threats after he publicly accused her of giving her class an “anti-Trump assignment.”

This is a death threat, Representative. Clearly, you shouldn’t own an AR-15—and neither should anyone else. pic.twitter.com/jsiZmwjMDs

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 13, 2019

In case you forgot, people were just killed in El Paso. People were murdered. The language you are using and the way you are using it is dangerous. We need leaders who want to change our culture of violence. #txlege https://t.co/4pjgJjTN4A

— Dr. Mary E. Gonzalez (@RepMaryGonzalez) September 13, 2019

It’s worth noting that Briscoe Cain sneaked into last year’s Texas Democratic convention with a handgun and tried to hand out yard signs inviting shooters to attack Democrats’ houses.

This man is not well and should not be a state representative, OR own guns. https://t.co/zcJc0EEMuT

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) September 13, 2019

The thing about Briscoe Cain threatening to kill Beto O’Rourke is that this is honestly normal behavior for Texas Republicans. Democrats only need to flip 9 more seats to take a majority in the TX state house. Time to kick these crazies to the curb. https://t.co/mG7lReAE1r

— Adam Best (@adamcbest) September 13, 2019

You’re a child Robert Francis https://t.co/rU3WoYQFQV

— ??????? ???? (@BriscoeCain) September 13, 2019

Threatening violence because you’re afraid of people taking away your guns seems like a pretty good reason to take away your guns

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) September 13, 2019

Remember when someone at a #Trump rally suggested shooting immigrants? And they all laughed. Then someone shot up El Paso. We should take these threats very seriously. Particularly if they’re coming from an elected representative @BriscoeCain CC: @Twitter https://t.co/TS0rGrWVTq

— Tiffany Cross (@TiffanyDCross) September 13, 2019

Twitter confirmed it removed @BriscoeCain’s tweet that his “AR would be ready” for @BetoORourke because it threatened “violence against an individual or group of people.” #DemDebate https://t.co/bNhkJY7T0X @dallasnews

— Paul Cobler (@PaulCobler) September 13, 2019

Here’s the Federalist Society Texas state rep who made a “come and get it” death threat against O’Rourke over ar-15s. https://t.co/CHbF8gDsUi

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 13, 2019

Death threats against Presidential candidate @BetoORourke, showing up at @MomsDemand rallies with AR 15’s to intimidate, threatening public violence reinforce the violent tendencies of those who claim to be good guys. @BriscoeCain, he should be arrested and his weapons removed https://t.co/uJUAoeukq3

— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 13, 2019