Doubtless sparked by the constant incendiary lies coming from Republican seditionists and right- wing media, Capitol Hill experienced a frightening bomb threat today:
The bomb threat suspect taken into custody by US Capitol Police posted several Facebook videos earlier today in which he appeared to be holding an explosive device inside his truck.
The suspect has been identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry.
In the videos, Roseberry repeatedly refers to President Biden, calls for him to step down and urges “Joe” to come talk to him. In the long ramblings, Roseberry also expresses frustration about the situation in Afghanistan.
On his Facebook page, which has since been taken down, Roseberry frequently made pro-Trump posts and posted videos from former President Donald Trump’s "Million MAGA March" on Nov. 14.
In the videos posted today, Roseberry calls himself a “patriot.” He says he doesn’t care if Trump ever becomes president again but also that he thinks “all Democrats need to step down.”
Congress luckily was not in session this week, but there were thousands of people in both Congressional office buildings and other properties nearby that had to be evacuated from the area.
The WaPo adds some reporting on Roseberry's rants during the standoff:
“You don’t want to do it, Joe,” he said. “There are five of us here ... The revolution is on, it’s here, it’s today.”
The bomb, he said, was built by someone with military experience who had lost two legs. He claimed to be apolitical, but he aired disgust with Democrats for the withdrawal from Afghanistan and suggested Biden was not democratically elected. He also urged for airstrikes on Afghanistan to push out the Taliban.
He said “this isn’t about politics” and that he doesn’t “care if Donald Trump becomes president again.” He said all the Democrats in the Senate "should step down because the people don’t want you there.”
“Democrats, you’re killing America,” he said at one point. “You’re making people want to leave America. This is supposed to be a place people want to come."
So, let's get to the bottom of how and by whom Roseberry was radicalized. Let's also not assume this is the last time a deluded believer in the "Big Lie," and who has been motivated by the drumbeat of criticism of Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal and every grievance stoked by Republican seditionists and right- wing media since Democrats took control of the Federal government, is going to act out -- perhaps next time in a truly violent way.
(Image: Roseberry in his truck outside the Library of Congress/ via Sydney Bobb)
