Federal judge James Graham calls out political violence in ruling

A federal judge in Ohio is calling out political violence, saying it is a “macabre phenomenon” that “has become a virulent issue which must be universally condemned.”

U.S. District Court Judge James Graham of the Southern District of Ohio made his remarks decrying violence in an opinion handed down in a case involving Ronald Lidderdale, a New Albany man charged with threatening state public officials.

“This macabre phenomenon—the use of violence, in lieu of democratic processes, toward political ends—is not limited to holders of public office,” Graham wrote. “In December of last year, Luigi Mangione shot and killed a father of two outside a hotel in New York because he was also the CEO of UnitedHealth—an event which Lidderdale referenced in his threats, describing it as a ‘social justice execution.’

“Now more than ever, the Court must take seriously Lidderdale’s statements, and his concerns about the same,” Graham wrote. “The targeting of public officials has become a virulent issue which must be universally condemned.”

In May, federal authorities announced that Lidderdale, 39, had been charged with “making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking.”

Graham granted the prosecutors’ motion to revoke a magistrate judge’s pretrial release order, deciding that Lidderdale should remain in custody pending trial or a follow-up order.

The feds alleged that Lidderdale sent “threatening communications” to elected officials holding statewide and federal office and others involved in Ohio politics.

Prosecutors said that Lidderdale sent “at least 49 letters containing suspicious white powders,” which Lidderdale purportedly claimed at times to be Ricin; 29 victims received letters with the white powder. “One letter contained a 9mm bullet with the last name of the public official etched on it,” the feds said.

“The evidence presented by the government paints a clear and convincing portrait of Lidderdale as a dangerous man,” Graham wrote. “The brushstrokes are chilling. With postage supplies and email addresses as his primary instruments, Lidderdale waged a campaign of terror and intimidation against dozens of public officials, from the comfortable seclusion of his bedroom in his mother’s house.

“For 10 months, he escalated threats against those who make our government function, and for 10 months, he actively eluded detection, despite an ongoing investigation into his actions,” Graham added. “His campaign ended only when he contacted the FBI, for reasons that are unclear. He claimed he did so not because he was ready to stop but because he was afraid he would continue. As the undersigned indicated at the hearing on this motion, the Court is inclined to take Lidderdale at his word—that he did intend to carry out his threats.”

In his order, Graham highlights several recent high-profile cases of political violence, including a Minnesota man impersonating a police officer who shot and killed a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, two assassination attempts targeting President Trump while on the campaign trail last year and a planned 2022 assassination attempt against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“Exacerbating the problem is the now-common lionization of such violence,” Graham wrote, pointing to social media posts from U.S. Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah. “…Reactions like these give assailants the attention they crave, and inspiration to those that would follow in their footsteps. But the foundation for such violence and rhetoric comes from the ubiquitous, reflexive demonization of anybody with opposing views.

“…In sum, the nature and circumstances of the offense are the latest example of a blight on our legal and political systems,” Graham added. “To be clear, the Court’s decision here is not based on the actions of other, unrelated individuals. Rather, the record before the Court provides abundant grounds to conclude that Lidderdale must be detained pending trial.”