Ohio Congressman Voicemail Threats: Man Charged

COLUMBUS, OHIO — An Ohio man has been charged with threatening to "assault, kidnap or murder a United States official" after leaving several threatening voicemail messages with Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers' office.

Officials say a voicemail left Sunday mentioned the June 14 shooting at a baseball practice that left Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise critically injured and four others injured in Alexandria, Virginia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Kelley said authorities were forced to take the messages seriously when the man mentioned the baseball game. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The Columbus Dispatch reported that 68-year-old E. Stanley Hoff was warned about his messages before his arrest.

A federal magistrate ordered Hoff held without bail during a court hearing Wednesday.

Hoff is expected to be assigned a federal public defender on Thursday. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

An aide at Stivers' Washington congressional office referred questions about the threats to U.S. Capitol Police.

Photo credit: Tony Dejak/Associated Press