That Fox News fan who offered money online for people to kill an assortment of Fox News targets has been arrested.
From Raw Story:
A Washington state man with a history using Fox News’ website to call for the murder of liberals – including President Barack Obama – has been taken into custody by U.S. Marshals, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Scott Anthony Orton, 57, of Puyallup, admitted to federal investigators that he is the man behind the online name “Joseywhales” who made the violent threats. Orto [sic] reportedly told authorities his intent was to “wake people up” by painting ” a mental picture with words. I’m a wordsmith. That’s what I do.”
Whatever Orton’s intent, his actual comments on Fox News' Fox Nation couldn’t have been more threatening:
- “I’ll pay $10,000 to whomever takes out Marilyn Mosby,” (the prosecutor in the Freddie Gray case.)
- “And I’ll really pay ten large to whoever shoots the yellow/brown sheriff,” (San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, demonized in the Kate Steinle case)
- “Everyone at StemExpress should be executed on live TV” and “(CEO of) StemExpress Inc., must die to save the innocents.” StemExpress, you may recall is a biotech firm that was featured in one of the sting Planned Parenthood videos.
“Josey” was reported to authorities in June. In July, he was still making blatant threats, including the ones about StemExpress that seem to have finally gotten him arrested. Although the Sacramento Bee reports that “Fox News cooperated fully with the FBI in its investigation,” the question in my mind is why it was us, and not Fox News, who sicced the authorities on this guy. Or, at the very least, why he was not banned from commenting.
Fox Nation’s managing editor, Jesse Watters, likes to point fingers at African Americans for tolerating black crime. Dude, there’s a big, fat finger pointing right back atcha on this one.
A big thank you to NewsHounds reader Andrew S. who keeps an eye on Fox Nation so we don’t have to. Believe it or not, he found far more threats than we posted.
Sadly, Josey is not in jail. Raw Story notes, “Despite a request by federal authorities that Orton be held without bail, a federal magistrate judge ordered him set free on an unsecured appearance bond. He is expected to appear in a Sacramento courtroom on Dec. 29.”
And there are more potential Joseys still hanging out on Fox Nation. Another reader sent us these, just as I was writing up this post, from this thread about the bomb threat that shut down L.A. schools:
This seems interesting- Josey appears to be a pot farmer in real life.
http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/12/15/foxnation-commenter-arrested-for-death-threats-to-planned-parenthood-affiliated-firm/
Although Scotty boy is set free for now this clown will face a judge and felony charges which will ruin the rest of his miserable life.
Conservative media won’t touch this story. These clowns are too afraid to anger Nixon Trainee Ailes who would ban them from the Foxy Channel.
Um, no, Scott — per Merriam-Webster, a wordsmith is “someone who works with words, especially, a skillful writer.”
It doesn’t take any particular skill or intelligence to make online threats. As for “painting a mental picture with words”, I think you’ve confused being mentally disabled with painting mental pictures . . .
.
Feel free to notify other outlets. Maybe you’ll have better luck.
What with all the mass shootings this year there has to be at least one network with the nuts to call out Faux. After all with all the shootings, it is only a matter of time before there is irrefutable evidence pointing directly at Faux for inciting it.