{"id":2497560,"date":"2025-10-10T14:11:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T18:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bondi-announces-arrest-of-far-left-activist-who-threatened-benny-johnson\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T14:12:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T18:12:39","slug":"bondi-announces-arrest-of-far-left-activist-who-threatened-benny-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bondi-announces-arrest-of-far-left-activist-who-threatened-benny-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"Bondi announces arrest of far-left activist who threatened Benny Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbondi-announces-arrest-of-far-left-activist-who-threatened-benny-johnson%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2497560&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of George Russell Isbell Jr., a 69-year-old man taken into custody near san Diego, for sending a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leftist-threatens-to-kill-trump-and-media-barely-covers-arrest\/\" title=\"Leftist ...ens To Kill Trump And Media Barely Covers ...\">violent death threat<\/a> by mail to right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson and his wife. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >threat included graphic language detailing intentions<\/a> to harm Johnson, referencing violent imagery similar to the assassination of conservative activist charlie Kirk. The investigation, praised as a &#8220;textbook&#8221; example of multi-agency cooperation involving the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-pledges-orderly-transition-of-power\/\" title=\"President Trump pledges orderly transition of power\">local law enforcement<\/a>, traced the letter back to Isbell through fingerprints and mailing details. Johnson, who attended the press conference, described the emotional impact of the threats and linked them to a broader trend of politically motivated violence against conservative figures. The suspect faces federal charges for mailing threatening communications, punishable by up to five years in prison.The case is ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with relevant data to come forward.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Bondi announces arrest of far-left activist who threatened commentator Benny Johnson<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2237428\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pam Bondi<\/a> announced Friday that federal agents have arrested a man accused of sending a violent death threat through the mail to right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson and his wife, authorities said at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Tampa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tampa<\/a> news conference.<\/p>\n<p>Standing before a podium at the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office in Tampa, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Florida<\/a>, Bondi said the suspect, identified by her as 69-year-old George Russell Isbell Jr., was taken into custody in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/san-diego\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">San Diego<\/a> area and is federally charged with mailing threatening communications. Bondi called the letter &ldquo;horrific&rdquo; and said investigators had worked quickly to trace it through the mail. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tampa Police Department, and local prosecutors all participated in the probe, she said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3844732\/appeals-court-judge-says-no-evidence-of-improper-use-of-national-guard-in-portland\/\">Appeals court judge says no evidence of improper use of National Guard in Portland<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3844862\/new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james-indicted-on-bank-fraud-charge\/\">New York Attorney General Letitia James indicted on bank fraud charge<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/3844758\/federal-judge-reject-challenge-nys-retail-law\/\">Federal judge rejects challenge to NY&#8217;s retail law<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Benny Johnson speaks at a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo\/John Locher)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this,&rdquo; Bondi said. &ldquo;You are not going to get away with threatening people in this way &hellip; We will find you. We will arrest you, we will extradite you, and we will bring you to justice.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Bondi said prosecutors would not discuss specifics of the letter while the case is pending, but a press release following the conference detailed the suspect wrote that he hoped an &ldquo;American flag &lsquo;strangles the life out of you,&#8217;&rdquo; and that he would &ldquo;Love to see [Johnson&rsquo;s] head explode and your blood stain the concrete.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida described the investigation as a &ldquo;textbook&rdquo; example of interagency coordination. Kehoe said fingerprints taken from the mailed envelope, mailed on or about Sept. 18, were matched to Isbell, and that law enforcement traced the letter&rsquo;s origin to San Diego before the FBI made the arrest on Oct. 7 in coordination with the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office in California.<\/p>\n<p>Kehoe said the complaint &mdash; which prosecutors have filed in federal court &mdash; includes graphic threats calling for the &ldquo;extermination&rdquo; of Johnson, describing in violent detail how the author wanted Johnson killed. Kehoe said investigators had attached the threatening communication to the complaint and that the conduct &ldquo;will simply not be tolerated.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bennyjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@bennyjohnson<\/a>: &#8220;Violence has been mainstreamed by the Democrat Party. It&#8217;s not extremist &mdash; it is mainstream &mdash; and we need a moment of reckoning here.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KRqsKKsbg6\">pic.twitter.com\/KRqsKKsbg6<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cspan\/status\/1976682815501516907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Johnson, who attended the news conference, described the emotional toll of the threat and tied it to a broader pattern of politically motivated violence, he said, that has targeted conservative activists and commentators.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I was a white, cis, Christian Trump supporter,&rdquo; Johnson said, describing language in the letter that detailed how he would be killed and celebrating the prospect of his children being orphaned. He thanked federal and local law enforcement and the Trump administration for the investigation.<\/p>\n<p>When asked by reporters whether the suspect had access to weapons or the means to carry out the threat, Kehoe and Bondi said the investigation was ongoing and declined to provide further details pending the investigation.<\/p>\n<p>The right-wing podcaster has been subjected to other instances of violence and threats in the past. When Johnson lived in Washington, D.C., in October 2020, a fire was intentionally set in the house next door to him at the time, and security footage showed Johnson&rsquo;s wife and child being escorted out of their home by the D.C. fire department. Two dogs in the neighboring house died, but no people were injured. Johnson now resides with his family in Tampa.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson claimed that violence has been &ldquo;mainstreamed by the Democratic Party,&rdquo; asking, &ldquo;is any Democrat courageous enough to disavow violence?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In response to a reporter&rsquo;s question about whether she agreed with his comments, Bondi said she had just discussed what happened in Minnesota in June when a gunman murdered Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman alongside her husband, Mark, and that she also referenced the antisemitic fire bombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) residence in April.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This was a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nadales-i-used-to-be-antifa\/\" title=\"Nadales: I Used To Be Antifa\">left-wing radical<\/a>, absolutely, the same type of person who murdered and assassinated Charlie Kirk,&rdquo; Bondi said, referring to the defendant charged in that attack, 22-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3807596\/fbi-links-tyler-robinson-charlie-kirk-shooting-dna-recovered-note\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tyler Robinson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson also lamented the recent death of his friend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charlie-kirk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charlie Kirk<\/a>, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated last month in Utah during an open debate at Utah Valley University in broad daylight by a gunman armed with a German-made rifle.<\/p>\n<p>The suspect &ldquo;described in great detail how I would be killed in an open field, just like Charlie, how much blood would come out of my head and neck when it was blown off,&rdquo; Johnson said, adding that he wants &ldquo;peace in my nation. I love this country. I want to be able to debate like Charlie did.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3813376\/what-is-antifa-trump-terrorist-designation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WHAT IS ANTIFA AND HOW DOES TERRORIST DESIGNATION AFFECT LEFT-WING NETWORK?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The charge filed against Isbell is a federal count of mailing threatening communications, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.<\/p>\n<p>The case remains under active investigation. Prosecutors said further details will be released through court records when appropriate and asked anyone with related information to contact the FBI or the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bondi announces arrest of far-left activist threatening Benny Johnson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2497561,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25264706419510.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5175,38156,45543,64975,4855],"class_list":["post-2497560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-arrest","tag-benny-johnson","tag-bondi","tag-far-left-activist","tag-threats"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25264706419510.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2497560"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2497564,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497560\/revisions\/2497564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2497561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2497560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2497560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2497560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}