Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake reveals shocking threats he received while in office: ‘Take him and his family out’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake has revealed some of the disturbing threats he allegedly received while in office.
Flake, 56, an outspoken critic of President Trump, claimed in a new interview he received threatening messages that were being probed by authorities in Arizona and Washington, D.C., including one from James Dean Blevins Jr.
Blevins, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last month to a retaliation charge for leaving a threatening voice mail for Flake. Authorities, though, had declined to provide the victim’s name. Blevins acknowledged that he left the threatening voice message on Sept. 17, saying, “I am tired of him interrupting our president, and I am coming down there to take him and his family out.”
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Flake told The Guardian the message came after he called for an investigation into then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the sexual assault allegations made against him. Flake ultimately voted in favor of Kavanaugh’s nomination.
“That’s only one of several threats,” Flake said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Flake told The Guardian that an “unidentified man carrying a rifle scope” went to three places in Arizona that are associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Flake, himself, is a Mormon.
“It was a man living out of his car,” Flake said of the unidentified man
The Mesa Police Department confirmed with the paper that they are investigating and assisting Flake and his family. The former senator said authorities were also probing “several other threats that haven’t been tracked down yet.”
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“Threats where they list my kids and their addresses, links to beheading videos,” Flake said.
During his last two years in the Senate, rumors swirled Flake would mount a primary challenge against the president for the 2020 Republican nomination. Flake ruled out running himself but confirmed with the paper that he has been in touch with former Ohio Governor John Kasich.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Kasich hasn’t ruled it out,” Flake said.
Flake also said his career in politics was not over but remained vague for what he has planned for the future.
“I’m not saying I’m not done running for office,” he said. “We’ll take it as it comes.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Flake announced in 2017 that he would not be seeking re-election to the Senate. Arizona Democrat Krysten Sinema replaced his seat.
Fox News’ Andrew O’Reilly and the Associated Press contributed to this report.