18 Republican senators from Wisconsin report getting death threats after passing bill to end collective bargaining for most public workers

State Sens. Joe Leibham and Glenn Grothman said they are among as many as 18 Republican senators who received a death threat following their votes to eliminate most collective bargaining powers for public workers.

The threat was sent in an e-mail late Wednesday with the subject, "Death threat!!!! Bomb!!!!" according to a copy of the letter released by Grothman's office. The e-mail also was addressed to Sen. Pam Galloway, R-Wausau.

Grothman, R-West Bend, said the e-mail is the latest example of "a new height in incivility." He said in recent weeks he has received obscene phone calls at all hours of the night, been jostled at the Capitol and has been shouted down during interviews.

"This is another example of the anger which is being spewed by the government unions," Grothman said. "This has been all about intimidating … Republican legislators into bowing to the public unions, and it has only steeled our resolve."

Grothman said he is hesitant to completely disregard the threat given the volatile atmosphere in Madison. A note shoved under his door Wednesday night said, "The only good Republican is a dead Republican."

With Democratic senators out of state, Republican senators late Wednesday separated the collective bargaining elements from Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill. Republicans voted 18-1 to eliminate collective bargaining for public workers in Wisconsin aside from some wage negotiations. Leibham and Grothman supported the measure.

Leibham, of Sheboygan, said the threat came to him via e-mail as well, and his staff contacted police at the Capitol and in Madison.

The letter tells lawmakers to "make your peace with God as soon as possible and say goodbye to your loved ones," warning they will be killed "due to your actions in the last eight weeks."

The letter, which is signed, says the writer is working with a group of people and knows where the legislators live. It says legislators may be shot in their homes or killed with bombs placed at locations they frequent.

"We feel that you and the people that support the dictator have to die," the letter reads. "If you and your goonies feel that it's necessary to strip the rights of 300,000 people and ruin their lives, making them unable to feed, clothe, and provide the necessities to their families and themselves then We Will 'get rid of' (in which I mean kill) you."

Leibham said that even with the vehement protests, the democratic process is working just the way it's supposed to during the budget debate.

"We debate bills, a vote has taken place, and now the public has the right to hold me accountable either favorably or negatively for that vote," he said. "Not through threats or other means, it's through the election process. I'm just hoping for the protesters' sake and for legislators' sake it's being done in a safe way because it's been getting a little bit intense from a safety standpoint. I don't want anybody … to get themselves hurt or injured as they passionately protest."

ANCAPS: ANARCHO-CAPITALISTS

18 Republican senators from Wisconsin report getting death threats after passing bill to end collective bargaining for most public workers

18 Republican senators from Wisconsin report getting death threats after passing bill to end collective bargaining for most public workers

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