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Prosecution Over Threat to American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten Can Go Forward
A federal judge has ruled that the prosecution of a man accused of threatening American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten can proceed. The court said a jury could find that the online post was a “true threat” under federal law, while leaving the question of guilt for trial.
The indictment says the post was made on the union’s website on 23 July 2024 and included several references to harming or killing Weingarten. The judge found those statements, taken together, could show an intent to intimidate her; insults and political context cited by the defendant did not change what the court could consider at this stage. The ruling distinguished the case from a 1960s Supreme Court decision that treated a protester’s remarks about President Lyndon B. Johnson as political hyperbole.
In short
- Prosecution over alleged threats to Randi Weingarten can proceed.
- A jury will decide whether the post was a true threat.
- The judge distinguished the case from a ruling on political hyperbole.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Allowing the prosecution to proceed recognises that repeated references to harming or killing a named person may amount to a serious threat, even when posted amid political debate. A trial lets a jury assess the words together and determine whether the post was intended to intimidate, while protecting public figures and others from threats that could chill their work.
The case against
Political speech can be angry, insulting or exaggerated without being a genuine threat, and criminal law must not make people fear prosecution for forceful criticism. The defendant’s point that the post appeared in a political context deserves careful testing at trial, with the state required to prove intent and a true threat rather than rely on disturbing language alone.
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