POLICE IN AMES ARE INVESTIGATING THREATS AGAINST IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR ROSS WILBURN AFTER HE WROTE A DES MOINES REGISTER EDITORIAL CRITICIZING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WILBURN TOLD THE REGISTER HE RECEIVED TWO THREATENING VOICE MAIL MESSAGES AND AN EMAIL THAT MADE A DIRECT STATEMENT ABOUT LYNCHING.
WILBURN, WHO IS BLACK, SAYS THE MESSAGES WERE VERY EXPLICIT AND EVERY OTHER WORD WAS THE N-WORD.
WILBURN SAID HE’S CONCERNED BY THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENT THREATS AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND TOLD THE REGISTER THE THREAT OF LYNCHING A BLACK MAN IS THE KIND OF HATE THAT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES.
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA CHAIRMAN JEFF KAUFMANN STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE RACIST THREATS MADE AGAINST WILBURN.
HE SAYS WE CAN HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON ISSUES AND CANDIDATES WITHOUT THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND HOPES THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.”
