Iowa man arrested for threatening Arizona election official: "We're going to hang you"

An Iowa man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to "lynch" and "hang" a Maricopa County, Arizona, election official nearly a year after the 2020 election, the Justice Department announced. 

Mark Rissi was arrested Thursday for allegedly leaving voicemails for the unnamed election official, in which Rissi allegedly threatened the official with lynching, hanging, and torches, according to the indictment filed against him. The arrest comes as the FBI continues to warn about heightened threats to election officials across seven states, including Arizona, where election deniers continue to disbelieve that President Biden legitimately won. 

"Hello Mr. [VICTIM], I am glad that you are standing up for democracy and want to place your hand on the Bible and say that the election was honest and fair," Rissi allegedly said in a voicemail left on approximately Sept. 27, 2021, according to court documents. "I really appreciate that. When we come to lynch your stupid lying Commie [expletive], you'll remember that you lied on the [expletive] Bible, you piece of [expletive]. You're gonna die, you piece of [expletive]. We're going to hang you. We're going to hang you."