An Indiana lab worker has been fired by his company after threats he allegedly sent to Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and his family.
Those threats and others came with another attack on Swalwell by new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as he again vowed to kick Swalwell off the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
A tweet sent to Swalwell on Friday from the account of lab worker Jonathan Reeser vowed to “ruin” Swalwell’s “kingly face” if he ever saw him and said he wanted the lawmaker’s family to be “raped and killed.”
Swalwell resend the message on Twitter to track down Reeser.
Patients Choice Laboratories shortly after issued a statement on Friday, said the employee, who was not named, has been terminated, “effective immediately,” after an internal investigation into the comments.
A diagnostic laboratory company based in Indianapolis, Indiana, said it was “surprised” by the comments made by the fired employee.
“We do not stand for, or condone, offensive or threatening behavior,” the company said. “Not only do these comments violate our social media policy, they also violate our company’s moral and ethical standards and will not be tolerated.”
Reeser apparently took an overheated cue from McCarthy, who had railed against Swalwell as a “security threat” who could not serve on a House committee.
McCarthy has blasted Swalwell for links to suspected Chinese spies who reportedly helped fundraise nine years ago for his reelection. But Swalwell, who called McCarthy’s attacks “smears,” has never been implicated in wrongdoing about the suspected spy, who has also been linked to other politicians.
Swalwell immediately cut ties with him when alerted by the FBI. However, the FBI praised Swalwell for “completed the cooperative” with the woman’s investigation and he never suspected.
But McCarthy insisted Thursday: “If you get a briefing from the FBI, you won’t have Swalwell on the committee.”
Swalwell has sent other threats he received, including a chilling phone call earlier this week about being fired from the committee, then swing at the end of the rope.
Swalwell contends that McCarthy targeted him out of revenge for his role as a manager in the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump after storming the Capitol.
McCarthy is now using attacks on Swalwell and Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for fundraising.
“Clearly Speaker McCarthy is willing to sell my dead children – whose lives are directly threatened by lies – for some money.” Swalwell tweeted on Friday. “The FBI has repeatedly denied their lies, but they keep telling us about political vendettas.”
Reeser could not be reached for comment.