WASHINGTON _ A 69-year-old Virginia Beach, Va., resident was arrested Friday for threatening to murder his congressman, Republican Rep. Scott Taylor.
Wallace Grove Godwin is being charged with threatening to murder and assault a U.S. official, a crime that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison if convicted, Tracy Doherty-McCormick, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew R. Verderosa, the U.S. Capitol Police chief, announced Friday.
Godwin visited Taylor's Virginia Beach office Thursday to discuss marijuana policy and after apparently becoming frustrated by the discussion with the congressman's staff, according to the charging documents, said, "Scott is having an event this Saturday. I am going to get my shotgun and do something about this. I will just handle this myself."
After making the threat against Taylor, the charging documents said Godwin pointed at two staffers in the room and said, "You two are next."
Godwin has a concealed weapon permit, the documents said.
This is not the first time Godwin has become angry with Taylor over marijuana policy.
The congressman's staff reported that in 2017 Godwin went to Taylor's home and used his vehicle to block Taylor's and waited for the congressman to come outside, the charging documents say. When Taylor did emerge and asked Godwin to move his car, he got out and tried to talk to the congressman about his marijuana policy but left without incident when Taylor asked him to go.
Also in 2017 Godwin yelled at Taylor's staff in the Virginia Beach office in aggressive manner that frightened them, the charging documents say.
