ESCANABA, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Police in Escanaba are investigating serious death threats directed towards three conservative county commissioners who are currently embroiled in a recall endeavor in Delta County.
Delta County is on the south shore of Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Five county commissioners serve constituents from the county office in Escanaba which is a couple hours west of the Mackinac Bridge.
Three conservative commissioners receive same vile threat.
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Commission Chair Dave Moyle, along with commissioners Bob Barron and Bob Petersen, received a disturbing threat via email on Friday, March 8th. The sender, identifying as “Chuck Hicks” with a domain name of “pissoff.com,” sent individual emails to each commissioner’s official county email address with the simple, yet chillingly direct message of: “Resign now or die next week.”
The threat shows the current intensity of political divisions and the risks faced by public officials. Moyle expressed shock at the specificity and severity of the threat, noting that while typical emails might express disdain, this message was explicit in its declaration.
Investigation in progress.
Law enforcement was promptly contacted about the threats and the Michigan State Police are currently investigating the incident. This isn’t the first death threat that Moyle has received but it’s the first time that three of the commissioners received the same threat at the same time.
Moyle was on the Steve Gruber Show on Thursday, March 14th and told him that he wants the FBI to take over the case for a “domestic terrorism” charge.
He also said, “I’m still here and I”m not going anywhere. We’re not putting up with it.” He added that the last death threat he received resulted in a court case coming up next month.
Suspect didn’t conceal their location when email was sent.
A warrant has been issued to Verizon for the investigation into the emails and they have acknowledged it, according to Moyle. It’s also reported by the Daily Press that the sender did not employ a virtual private network (VPN) to conceal their location or internet service provider details.
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Moyle said that steps have been taken to safeguard his home and family after the police told him that the threat was a valid threat. He said, “I take every kind of threat seriously. You’d be foolish not to. So I’ve taken steps to make sure that I’m safe and that my family is safe. But whoever did this is still going to face the law. It’s the way it needs to be.”
Recall set to happen in May over fired county administrator.
The recall effort, initiated shortly after the Delta County Election Commission approved petitions seeking the recall of Moyle, Barron, and Petersen, has been marred by legal challenges but ultimately has led to a special election set for May 7th.
Moyle has attributed the recall effort to political motives, particularly citing opposition from individuals like Kelli Van Ginhoven, who contested against him in 2020 and has filed to run again, this time as a Democrat.
Moyle also says the group behind the recall, the Delta County Citizens for Ethical Leadership, has grievances relating to the commissioners getting rid of the former Delta County Administrator, Emily DeSalvo who was fired at a county board meeting after giving a speech where she talked about “ethical” concerns about several board members.
The timing of the recall presents a complex situation, potentially resulting in commissioners losing their seats only to regain them shortly after, or facing re-election challenges shortly after securing their positions.
Barron faces a challenge from Myra Croasdell, while Petersen is contested by Matthew Jensen, both running as independents. In the 2022 election, Moyle won easily with 1,213 votes. Van Ginhoven got 771 votes and Meredith Seppanen received 628.
Moyle says he’s not going anywhere, changes mind about retiring.
The incident has influenced Moyle’s decision to reverse his previous stance on seeking reelection, with a firm resolve to confront the intimidation head-on. Originally opting not to seek reelection last July due to personal concerns, Moyle attributed his change in decision to the attempt at intimidation.
Moyle told Gruber during the interview, “What I’m dealing with now is a socialist Democrat (Kelli Van Ginhoven) who wants to see me go away permanently and I’m not going. I was going to retire from public life whether I win or lose the recall on May the 7th. I wasn’t going to run again. But you’re not going to bully me into running away. So I made the announcement this morning I’m running again. And I’m coming and Hell’s coming with me. And we’re going to run based on policy and issue, not personal divisiveness and threat.”
Moyle’s opponent responds to death threats.
Kelli Van Ginhoven has posted on her Facebook account for her campaign, “I was made aware this morning when reading The Daily Press of a death threat made to 3 commissioners on March 8. I condemn this action. Hate has no place here. We are not left, we are not right, we are ALL citizens of Delta County. We are more alike than we are different, despite what some continue to push as their talking points. Let’s move forward. Warm regards.”
