Florida
Florida man sentenced to 2 years for threats to kill California Rep. Swalwell and his kids
A Florida man was sentenced this week to two years in prison for threatening to kill Rep. Eric Swalwell and his children earlier late last year, federal prosecutors said.
Michael Shapiro, 73, was arrested in January in connection with the threats, which were in voicemails he left at Swalwell’s office on Dec. 19.
In one call Shapiro said, “I’m gonna come after you and kill you,” and in another he said, “I’m gonna come and kill your children,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a Thursday statement.
Shapiro also called Swalwell, D-Calif., “a Chinese spy” in some of the five voicemail messages, court records show.
Shapiro was sentenced in federal court Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threatening communications on May 17.
Shapiro argued that the threatening calls were made during a “single drunken episode,” according to court documents. His defense attorney said he made the threats after a night of heavy drinking.
“When interviewed, Mr. Shapiro said he only remembered phoning the office once, but that he had been drunk and did not remember making any threats,” Shapiro’s attorney wrote in a motion prior to sentencing.
Prosecutors responded that Shapiro had made threatening comments to government officials in the past, including in 2019 when he called the United States Capitol Police Threat Assessment Section and said, “I’m going to kill you.”
He also threatened another U.S. representative in January 2019. He was charged and pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to three years of probation in that case, according to court documents.
“These threats are clearly part of a pattern of conduct whereby Shapiro threatens and intimidates government officials,” prosectors wrote in a motion in the case involving threats to Swalwell.
Florida
Florida No Kings protests planned for Stuart, Fort Pierce
There are two No Kings protests planned for the Treasure Coast; one in Stuart and one in Fort Pierce.
No Kings Day protests are scheduled for March 28, with over a thousand protests planned across the United States.
Organizers say the No Kings events will challenge President Donald Trump as he escalates “his attempts to control us.” Dozens of protests are planned across Florida, including two on the Treasure Coast.
Here’s what to know about the protests.
What is a No Kings protest?
No Kings is a nationwide protest organized in response to President Donald Trump and his administration.
“It is on us, the people, to show that we will fight to protect one another and our country,” according to the nokings.org website. “If he believes we will roll over and allow him to take our freedoms, he is mistaken.”
One core principle of No Kings is a commitment to nonviolent action. The organization’s website states participants should seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with dissenters and act lawfully.
No Kings protest in Stuart
No Kings protest in Fort Pierce
No Kings protests in Florida
There are dozens of protests planned across Florida, including two on the Treasure Coast, with one in Stuart and one in Fort Pierce. Find a protest near you.
Olivia Franklin is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com, 317-627-8048 or follow her on X @Livvvvv_5.
Florida
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Florida
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