Republicans: Death Threats, Sweeney Remarks an Alarming Combination

Death threats have rolled in against two Republican township committee members in recent months, but the timing of more recent threats along with a vow from one prominent Democrat to “punish our enemies” at election time have Republican leaders sounding warning bells.

The threats, ranging from printed screeds to a scrawled note left on a front door, have targeted Mayor Ray Chintall and committeeman Sam Cianfarini. Though the first threats came a few months ago, West Deptford Republican chair Dennis Forte said the latest round, combined with state Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s recent remarks, is “alarming.”

“Steve Sweeney needs to be held accountable for this type of speech,” Forte said. “As the second most powerful man in the state of New Jersey, Sen. Sweeney instructing his followers to punish his own constituents is just plain wrong.”

The three threats Forte shared included a sloppy note left tucked in a wreath on Chintall’s door, which reads, “MAYER (sic) [expletive] LV NW OR UR DEAD” and another, expletive-filled typed letter warning Chintall, “We know when you leave your house. We follow your wife. We have a bigger gun than you.”

A third makes vague threats against both Chintall and Cianfarini, and includes pictures of the two men overlaid with prohibition symbols, as well as a reference to Sweeney’s ironworkers union. Forte said there have been other incidents, including Cianfarini’s tires getting slashed during election season last year, that are part of the pattern.

are investigating the incidents, and Forte said state officials are also involved.

While he didn’t accuse Democratic leaders of condoning the actions, Forte said Sweeney’s recent speech at a Labor Day breakfast—including the “punish our enemies” line—could incite some factions within the party to take drastic action.

“Collectively, I think there are a lot of good people in the Democratic Party who want none of this,” Forte said. “Unfortunately, I think some people take his words a little too seriously.”

But a representative for Sweeney, who is currently at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC, said Forte is twisting the senator’s message to fit the situation.

"Senate President Sweeney firmly believes that those who are trying to stamp out workers' rights in this country will have to answer to the voters this fall,” said spokesman Christopher Donnelly. “For anyone, much less those that represent a Republican Party doing everything in its power nationally to keep people from voting this November, to imply anything else from those statements is simply foolish."

In his full remarks last Friday, Sweeney, as quoted by the Gloucester County Times, told union members they need to protect themselves against Republicans like presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who Sweeney said hates unions and union members.

“Every single protection that unions have fought for and won—the 40-hour work week, prevailing wage and child labor laws—the national GOP, the Teabaggers, they are trying to wipe us out,” said Sweeney, as quoted in the Times.

But Forte insisted Sweeney’s comments expose him as a bully, and called it “conduct not becoming of a leader.” The Republican called for Sweeney to apologize for the remarks, and said voters can help eliminate that kind of rhetoric.

“We the people need to take back what is rightfully ours in a civil and peaceful manner via this year’s election,” Forte said.

Read the response from Sweeney's camp, .