Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Death Threat to Rep. Ilhan Omar
Kristie Boyd; U.S. House Office of Photography
Representative Ilhan Omar’s official portrait.
April 22, 2022
David Hannon pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court on the 19th for sending a threat to U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar about three years ago. The 67-year-old resident of Sarasota could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 but the sentencing date against Hannon was not set immediately.
The email containing the threat was sent to Omar in July of 2019 after a televised news conference was held by four Congress members, including Omar, to criticize the president at the time, President Trump. Hannon, a supporter of the former president, pleaded guilty to U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher P. Tuite to threatening Omar only once with the intention of thwarting her from performing her official duties.
Roger Handberg, U.S Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, said, “No one should fear violence because of who they are or what they believe. Unlawful threats against our elected officials are an assault against our democracy, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice in these cases.”
Hannon sent an email with a subject line that read, “(You’re) dead, you radical Muslim.” He asked Omar if she was willing “to die for Islam” while referring to her and the other congresswomen as “radical rats.” Further, investigators revealed that the email stated Hannon was going to shoot Omar in the head.
2019 was also the same year in which Omar was sworn into office being the first African refugee and one of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress.
