Man charged with intimidation after leaving Rep. Banks sick message threatening his family
‘Here’s the choice – your daughters grow up without their dads or you grow old without your daughters’: Sick message left on Republican Rep. Jim Banks’ phone by a man hoping he’s ‘blew his brains out’
- An Indiana man was charged with harassing Rep. Jim Banks and his family after leaving threatening voicemails on the congressman’s office phone
- Aaron Thompson, 34, admitted to being drunk and making the eight phone calls
- Banks and his wife Amanda have three daughters, Lillian, Elizabeth and Joann.
An Indiana man was charged with harassment and harassment of Rep. Jim Banks after making grisly threats against the congressman and his family.
Aaron L. Thompson, 34, called the Republican representative’s office at least eight times and left several threatening messages, according to a probable cause application obtained by the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
“Here’s the choice: your daughters grow up without their fathers or you grow old without your daughters,” he said in one of the voice messages to Bank’s office, adding, “Boom, boom take your pick.”
Banks and his wife Amanda have three daughters, Lillian, Elizabeth and Joann.
An Indiana man was charged with harassment and harassment of Representative Jim Banks after he left threatening voicemails on the congressman’s office phone
Aaron L. Thompson, 34, admitted to being drunk and making at least eight phone calls letting Banks know he had a gun, saying in one message, “Here’s the choice: Your daughters are growing up without their father or you grow old without your daughters
“The safety of my family is my top priority,” Banks said in a statement to DailyMail.com. “I’ve been instructed to submit any questions regarding the ongoing criminal investigation to the Allen County Attorney’s Office.”
Thompson admitted to the U.S. Capitol Police that he was drunk and wanted to call because of their differing political views.
He called Banks’ office once on April 6 and seven times on April 11.
In the expletive-filled messages, the Fort Wayne man said he hoped Banks would die in a car accident or have his brains blown out.
Thompson was arrested Friday and is scheduled for an initial hearing Tuesday in Allen County Superior Court.
In Indiana, harassment is a Level 6 felony and harassment is a Class B misdemeanor.
Banks assumed his role as Congressman for Indiana’s 3rd congressional district after the 2016 election – he currently serves as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee.
In January, Banks announced that he is running for the Indiana state senate to take the seat of outgoing Senator Mike Braun as he runs for governor of the state.
Banks received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump in his bid for the Senate.