Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Threatening Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs with Bomb Threat
The legal proceedings have come to an end for James Clark, a resident of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Clark was recently sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a threatening interstate communication. This charge stemmed from an incident that occurred back in 2021, when Clark targeted Katie Hobbs, who was then the Arizona Secretary of State and is now serving as the Democratic Governor.
In August 2023, Clark found himself in hot water after being indicted on three counts, including making a bomb threat. The Justice Department made the announcement of his sentence with a stern statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland. He emphasized that individuals who resort to using illegal threats of violence to intimidate election workers will be tracked down and held accountable under the law.
According to court documents and the Department of Justice (DOJ), Clark’s threatening message was sent via a web form to the elections division of Arizona’s Secretary of State office. The alarming content read, “your attorney general” should resign, or “the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.” The message was specifically addressed to Katie Hobbs.
Prosecutors further revealed that Clark had conducted contact searches for Hobbs’ name along with the words “how to kill” and “address.” Additionally, his search history included queries about the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. These findings raised significant concerns among law enforcement.
Following Clark’s threatening message, Arizona authorities conducted partial evacuations and bomb sweeps at the Secretary of State’s office as well as Hobbs’ home and car. The case against Clark was brought to light by the Justice Department’s election threats task force, which was established in June 2021 specifically to deal with instances of violence and threats towards election workers.
Those who engage in such behavior should take note that the consequences can be severe, as evidenced by Clark’s sentence. The Justice Department’s unwavering stance towards holding individuals accountable for making bomb threats or any other form of threat intended to intimidate election workers remains firm.
