Will Jacob Candelaria get the protection and safety that he deserves?
According to the New York Post, New Mexico State Senator Jacob Candelaria fled his home on Sunday after receiving multiple death threats in his voicemail. These threats came after Candelaria criticized unmasked protesters at a rally against COVID-19 restrictions.
As the Associated Press reports, the openly gay politician received “profanity-laced” telephone messages that included anti-gay rhetoric around 10pm on Saturday, October 24. One included the phrase, “we’re going to get you out one way or another.” Candelaria then asked his private security team to trace the caller’s phone. They discovered that the caller had “an extensive criminal history” and an “open warrant.” At that point, which was around 2 am on the following Sunday, Candelaria contacted police. Unfortunately, Candelaria says the police were little help.
At 12:35 am, I received this death threat. I called APD and the Mayors office, no response. No help. 13 hours later and no law enforcement assistance. pic.twitter.com/auMuKHGnOf
— jacobcandelaria (@CivilRightsNM) October 25, 2020
“We reached out for help today from our state to protect us. That help had been denied,” Candelaria wrote on Twitter.
“The state police came to my house 13 hours later. I played these tapes, their response was to yell and my husband and I for being upset. When I asked if they thought this was a threat, they said ‘meh, depends how you hear it.’”
The same caller had called a few minutes before at 12:31 am. pic.twitter.com/9gGr1Ho8bc
— jacobcandelaria (@CivilRightsNM) October 25, 2020
— jacobcandelaria (@CivilRightsNM) October 26, 2020
At that point, Candelaria and his husband left their Albuquerque home. They did so in fear of a similar, or worse, situation to the attempted kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer earlier this month.
“I have no idea how I can keep my family safe right now other than leave,” he said. “They do not have the right to make death threats like this and have it go unaccountable.”
Meanwhile, the New Mexico State Police states that they are actively handling the death threats and investigating the initial response by state police to the state Senator’s calls.
Source: The New York Post, The Associated Press,
Asks police to help, then orders them to get out. What a tool he is.