Teacher’s Alleged Remark About Mike Pence Prompts Suspension and Probe

Vice-President Mike Pence on Sept. 5, 2019. (Peter Summers/Pool via Reuters)

A North Carolina high school teacher allegedly said Vice President Mike Pence “should be shot in the head,” prompting administrators to place her on leave and the Secret Service to get involved.

The Cuthbertson High School teacher made the remark as Pence campaigned in the area for Congressional candidate Dan Bishop, according to Fox 46. Bishop won the election on Sept. 10.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office said it passed information about the remark to the Secret Service. The agency has not commented on the matter.

The teacher has not been identified publicly.

“Union County Public Schools is taking the alleged inappropriate comments made by a Cuthbertson High School teacher very seriously. Upon learning about the alleged comments, the teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave last week and there is an ongoing investigation into this matter,” the school district said in a statement.

“The Secret Service is aware of the reported comments made by the teacher. In addition, this is a personnel matter and information related to the investigation is protected by law.”

North Carolina 9th District Republican candidate Dan Bishop addresses supporters after being announced as the winner of his race defeating Democratic candidate Dan McCready during an election night party in Monroe, North Carolina on Sept. 10, 2019. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Theresa Grovanz, whose son recently graduated from the highschool, told WSOC-TV that she felt the same way.

“Especially as a teacher, you can’t justify saying that, especially to a group of kids,” Grovanz said.

According to the broadcaster, there were multiple students interviewed as part of the probe and “there may be some conflicting accounts” regarding what the teacher said.

Union County GOP Chair Allison Powers told Fox 46 that the remarks were inappropriate, especially for a teacher.

“You should not be bringing in those type of viewpoints to your job,” she said. “To just wish that kind of violence on anybody is just way out of bounds.”

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the Oval Office in Washington on Sept. 20, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

NY Man Charged With Threatening Trump

A New York man was arrested and charged for making threats against President Donald Trump and mailing a threatening letter, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Aug. 26.

Jesse Allen Blake, age 24, of Waverly, New York, was indicted on Aug. 22 for allegedly mailing a letter to the FBI headquarters in Washington, saying he would blow up the White House and would kill Trump.

He also threatened the Pentagon, Trump Tower, and the United Nations Headquarters “when he was released from prison,” the agency said, adding that he was in custody on charges at the Bradford County Correctional Facility in Troy, Pennsylvania.

Blake could face as many as 10 years in prison and a fine if convicted.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and received assistance from the FBI Task Force, and the Bradford County Correctional Facility.

Elaborating on the charges, local news website PennLive.com reported that Blake wrote a letter on March 29 that claimed he would commit the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.

“When I come home I’m gonna kill a lot of people and commit the worst terrorist attack in American history,” he allegedly wrote.

“I will blow or attempt to blow up the White House, the U.N. headquarters and the Pentagon and Trump Tower and to kill the president … If you think I’m playing, try me [expletive]. You can’t ever charge me with terroristic threat through letter nor can you put me in federal prison,” the letter also said. “I will terrorize the [expletive] out of America.”

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.