Man Arrested for Death Threats Against Eric Cantor

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Republicans

(Credit: AP)

A Philadelphia man was charged today with threatening to kill House Republican Whip Eric Cantor and his family, the Washington Post reports. The threats came in the form of a YouTube video, which has been taken down.

Norman Leboon, 33, reportedly faces charges punishable by up to 15 years in prison, three years supervised release, a fine up to $500,000 and a $200 special assessment, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

"The Department of Justice takes threats against government officials seriously, especially threats to kill or injure others," U.S. Attorney Michael L. Levy said in statement to the Post. "Whether the reason for the threat is personal or political, threats are not protected by the First Amendment and are crimes."

Cantor's press secretary Brad Dayspring said in a statement that Cantor was notified over the weekend of the credible threat and of the arrest of a suspect. He said Cantor thanks the law enforcement involved but will have no further comment on the issue.

Last week, Cantor held a press conference to reveal that he had received death threats and that a bullet was shot through the window of his Richmond, Va. office. He made the point that Republicans as well as Democrats are the targets of such threats, in the wake of a number of threats made against Democrats because of their support for health care reform. Cantor said that Democrats were politicizing the serious threats by blaming Republicans for encouraging hostile behavior.

Local police later determined the bullet shot through Cantor's office was the result of random gunfire.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by gepat-2009 March 30, 2010 3:43 PM EDT

Have you noticed ever since the news about death threats against Eric Cantor, all of a sudden the accusations about N-words, F-words and spitting have stopped? That is besides the daily smears about that terrorist Sarah Palin and her dangerous gun-mobs. See....there's haters out there too on the loony left.

Reply to this comment


by nh4ronpaul April 5, 2010 5:22 PM EDT: That is where this all orginated. If there isn't any, they will try to stir it up while accusing YOU of doing it. It's the Alinsky method don'tcha know


by erb0087 March 29, 2010 9:45 PM EDT: Norman Leboon, 33, reportedly faces charges punishable by up to 15 years in prison, three years supervised release, a fine up to $500,000 and a $200 special assessment, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
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Norman Leboon ? No relation to Shia LaBoef, I hope.

Norman doesn't know anything about that random gunfire, does he ?

He wasn't down there recently ?; Reply to this comment


by Non_Compassionate_Liberal March 29, 2010 9:41 PM EDT: I live in Philly and I'd ALSO like to k..., k..., -- Oh WAIT a minute -- Nevermind. No forbidden words this time.; Reply to this comment


by erb0087 March 29, 2010 9:36 PM EDT: by kluzer12 March 29, 2010 9:21 PM EDT
Wow, CBS finally had a sidebar coverage of this story. By the way the so called racist words by the tea party people that you covered all day Saturday in your headlines has not been substantiated.
======================================

We have eyewitness testimony.

I wouldn't trust any Youtube video -- it's too easy to tamper with that sort of evidence.

You can edit in all kinds of strange things:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hefPEiIfI; Reply to this comment


by SUEZQueen March 29, 2010 9:28 PM EDT: Don't shot! I got to get a gum. Just teasing! BANGhER; Reply to this comment

by erb0087 March 29, 2010 9:26 PM EDT

"The threats came in the form of a YouTube video, which has been taken down."

Some of these imbeciles...

I've seen Youtube videos that contain graphic threats of bodily harm against various celebrities.

Give some people a box of matches to play with, and they try to burn the house down.

Reply to this comment


by erb0087 March 29, 2010 9:30 PM EDT: ...And in a more serious story, that didn't involve some nerd "venting" on Youtube...

"Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama

Daniel Cowart, a 21-Year-Old Alleged White Supremacist, Planned Cross Country Crime Spree Ending in Murder of Obama"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/29/politics/main6344678.shtml

by kluzer12 March 29, 2010 9:21 PM EDT

Wow, CBS finally had a sidebar coverage of this story. By the way the so called racist words by the tea party people that you covered all day Saturday in your headlines has not been substantiated. No video or audio tape to back up the accusations and none of the congressmen who said they heard the "N" word used by a tea party member will go on TV to talk about it. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Reply to this comment


by Shocktribe March 29, 2010 9:31 PM EDT: No... I don't wonder. I know there are loons on both sides of the aisle, but that the media only wants to acknowledge the right wing loons and turn a blind eye to the lefty loons.


by pasmalltown March 30, 2010 8:12 AM EDT: by Shocktribe March 29, 2010 9:31 PM EDT
"No... I don't wonder. I know there are loons on both sides of the aisle, but that the media only wants to acknowledge the right wing loons and turn a blind eye to the lefty loons."
_-----------_____________-------------

That's why CBS did this article, right? I mean to turn "a blind eye"...?

And to the "CBS sidebar" comment, FOX News had a 15 second clip about the $2K spent at the bondage club "right" before fading into a commercial....Was this not a FOX "sidebar"? When are you bozos going to understand that media coverage has little to do with the truth in "news" and more about about ratings and generating income? Their are "loons" on both side of the media - Your task to finding "truth" is to determine what the facts behind the story is by listening to both sides and making up your mind. If you have already done that, then fine that's your "right", but your biased comments seem to indicate otherwise.

by ll2owt March 29, 2010 8:37 PM EDT

frankly, i think it was a tea baggernut that got to old eric canker,,,

Reply to this comment


by nh4ronpaul April 5, 2010 5:20 PM EDT: Really? It was specifically aimed at Cantor, and Leboon is an OBAMA donor.


by dwilson59 March 29, 2010 8:03 PM EDT: OK I have it!!!!!

Everyone in for a group hug!!!!!; Reply to this comment

by velma179 March 29, 2010 8:01 PM EDT

There is something very suspect about this story.

I can't put a finger on what... but my BS meter is on full report. In the next several days, clarification will come.

I have read and seen a lot of threatening statements aimed at politicians lately and they have all been directed at the "left/liberal/progressive" politicians.

We'll see...

Reply to this comment


by ll2owt March 29, 2010 8:40 PM EDT: velma...i would put money on it....


by pasmalltown March 30, 2010 8:23 AM EDT: by ll2owt March 29, 2010 8:40 PM EDT
"velma...i would put money on it...."
________________________________

Exactly what is the "it" you speak of? I understand the RNC has an extra $2K to play with that they "may or may not" be using to put a down payment on a private jet for Steele. They might be interested in "going in" with you..........