Lobbyist charged with threats targeting Capitol, increasing safety concerns after lawmaker shootings

A registered Minnesota lobbyist was charged Friday with “threats of violence” that included targeting the State Capitol, escalating lawmaker safety concerns following the assassinations of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.

The defendant, 41-year-old Jonathan Bohn of Woodbury, is a lobbyist with Inter Faculty Organization, a union representing faculty at Minnesota State universities.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office was contacted Wednesday by a man who said Bohn was an acquaintance who threatened him that night. The man said the two had not communicated for a “considerable” amount of time due to “political differences that had arisen.”

The attacks against the Hortmans along with Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who were shot and injured the same night, have prompted heightened police protection for some state and federal lawmakers and raised questions about the relatively open Minnesota Capitol. On Thursday, Gov. Tim Walz said the Legislature should reconsider the state law that lets permit holders carry concealed weapons in the Capitol building.

The criminal complaint against Bohn includes four of the alleged texts he sent, three of which included threats. One says Bohn had “bought 500 bullets.” Another allegedly said that Bohn wanted to bring a gun to the Capitol and shoot someone.

Bohn released a statement from jail, saying he was grieving the deaths of the Hortmans and the associated shootings of the Hoffmans when he sent the texts.

“In the midst of this immense grief, I sent a series of heated and emotional texts to a friend of nearly thirteen years,” he said.

“I condemn violence in all its forms, and I agree with the calls from public officials and community leaders to turn down the temperature of our political discourse,” he added. “I failed to do that here.”

The Inter Faculty Organization released a statement Friday saying Bohn has been placed on administrative leave.

According to the complaint, Bohn began sending the texts just before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

It doesn’t say if the alleged victim was someone who worked at the Capitol, but he told police he was concerned because Bohn “was a lobbyist that is frequently at the Capitol.”

After arresting Bohn and serving a search warrant, police found an unloaded gun in a locked case in the lobbyist’s garage, the charges say.

Bohn was arrested after Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, notified authorities of the message sent to one of his constituents, according to a statement from the Minnesota House Republican Caucus.

While still in jail, Bohn was given conditions for his release that include:

Bohn said in his statement that he sent the texts while he was grieving “horrific acts of violence committed against my friends and colleagues.” He said the recipient is someone with whom he’s shared “countless candid and passionate political conversations,” and that he did not intend to carry out what he said in the texts.

“In that moment of anguish, I used language that I deeply regret,” Bohn said. “The words were spoken from pain, not from intent.”

In its statement, the Inter Faculty Organization said it “condemns political violence and threats of violence in any form. Such acts are unacceptable and stand in direct opposition to the values that guide our work.” The union added that it would cooperate as needed with law enforcement and keep its members informed.

Vance Boelter, the man charged with killing the Hortmans and shooting the Hoffmans, allegedly had a lengthy list of targets that included dozens of Democrats.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher has been vocal about increasing security at the Capitol. In a January letter to the state’s Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security, Fletcher said the state should consider using metal detectors and X-ray machines, and requiring bag checks at a minimum.

He cited the growing political polarization in America as a reason why the Capitol should have tighter security measures.

“The willingness for certain actors to resort to political violence, threats, and intimidation to those who have different values and beliefs is clearly on the rise,” he wrote in the letter.

The State Patrol is responsible for Capitol security. In a statement, State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic encouraged anyone who sees anything suspicious to call 911, and that “we want everyone to feel welcome, but we must balance that with public safety.”

“We continually assess potential threats at the Minnesota State Capitol and adjust our plans to ensure proper protection,” Bogojevic said.

In a statement, Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesman Kyle Everson did not comment directly on the threats from Bohn, but he said there have been added security measures for the last week.

“We cannot go into specifics surrounding the current Capitol and lawmaker security plans for safety reasons,” Everson said. “However, there continues to be increased security measures at the Capitol complex since last weekend’s shootings.”

Multiple state senators and representatives did not return requests for comment. Senate GOP spokeswoman Rachel Aplikowski said in an email that senators “have been advised to refrain from commenting on needed or current security measures out of an abundance of caution.”