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The U.S. Secret Service field office in Seattle responds to threats against the President of the United States daily. They call the sheer number "overwhelming."

Secret Service says number of threats against president 'overwhelming'

BY Brandi Kruse  on August 26, 2012 @ 7:57 pm (Updated: 11:54 am - 8/27/12 )

When a Federal Way man accused of threatening to kill President Barack Obama makes a scheduled appearance in court Monday, the Secret Service in Seattle will likely be busy responding to new threats against POTUS, and others under their protection.

According to the U.S. Secret Service field office in Seattle, agents here respond to multiple threats each day.

"Our goal and our mandate is to immediately respond to any direct threat against the president, the first family, any other Secret Service protectees such as the vice president, or visiting heads of state," said Bob Kierstead, assistant special agent in charge of the Seattle field office.

Agents are then responsible for determining the credibility of the threat.

"We consult with our Protective Intelligence Division in Washington, D.C. to decide how far an investigation is going to go," Kierstead said. "If a federal arrest does take place, that's going to be the most serious or extreme of the end results."

When Anton Caluori, 31, allegedly emailed the FBI on the morning of August 21 to say he would "kill the president," a Secret Service agent was immediately dispatched to his residence. According to the Department of Justice, Caluori was armed with multiple weapons, making his threat not only credible, but viable.

"This case had all the troubling ingredients: threats of violence and explosive devices, multiple weapons with hundreds of rounds and even brandishing of a weapon at law enforcement," said U. S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

Caluori was subsequently arrested and charged in federal court with making a threat against the president and assault of a federal agent. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Seattle Monday for a detention hearing.

"Recent national events are a stark reminder that we must take these threats of death or violence seriously," Durkan said.

While the Secret Service says they take every threat against the president seriously, not all will end in arrest.

"Threats will come our way from high school students, even junior high school students. Just prank type calls," Kierstead said. "So, we're not out there to arrest everybody that makes a threat, but we are always concerned."

Kierstead said many of those who make such threats are mentally ill, and it is the goal of the Secret Service to find them help. It can be "sobering," he said, when agents show up at their door.

"It can be upsetting, but any type of threat against the president is a violation of federal law," he said.

According to the Secret Service, the president is the most threatened person in the U.S., regardless of political party. He is not made aware of all threats against him, however, because Kierstead said the "sheer number would be overwhelming and, frankly, distracting."

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (124)


  • Add A Comment

  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Overwhelming?
    August 27, 2012 5:15 am
    The threats of death and dismemberment that Bush received from you hate filled lefties was overwhelming. The amount of death threats Romney and Ryan and their families are receiving is overwhelming.

    YOU Left wing Parrots are the ones who are pumped full of hate and anger at us Americans (Just tune into left wing HATE SPEECH radio if you don't believe me!) for exposing the truth about your beloved Dear Leader and your precious regime!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    At least Obama gets threats from little known kooks.
    August 27, 2012 5:25 am
    Half the threats to Romney and all come from well known kooks - like Harry Reid and Joe Biden.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pressman wrote...
    I Get It !!
    August 27, 2012 10:08 am
    Ho-Ho is actually a Democrat, Obama supporter- playing the blown out of proportion role of right-wing nutjob to stir up anti Republican sentiments... and nicely done, Ho-Ho !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Republicans and guns . . . .
    August 27, 2012 5:16 am
    lock they all up and throw away the key. Firegirl are you posting from your jail cell? Look to your right and you will see double zero. Don't laught jack wagon you are on the radar screen.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle is a cesspool wrote...
    CH...
    August 27, 2012 9:05 am
    You sir are the epitome of a Seattle moron.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Half the threats to Romney and all come from well known kooks - like Harry Reid and Joe Biden.
    August 27, 2012 5:28 am
    Yep. Biden I can give a pass to; he's an idiot. Reid is just a flat out lying scum-bag.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    HPD 5-0 wrote...Reid is just a flat out lying scum-bag.
    August 27, 2012 6:48 am
    I heard he wanted to be a cop but had an IQ that was above 70 so he was washed out.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    HPD 5-0 & Ron Prevost...
    August 27, 2012 9:27 am
    Let's not confuse having a different political opinion with the illegal act of threatening the life of the President. You and I may not like Biden or Reid,or thier actions, but they haven't threatened the life of anyone in congress or the life of the President unlike the folks who are the point of this news story. So let's not put them in the same category as these idiots.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    OK, I agree Biden and Reid are a DIFFERENT class of idiots
    August 27, 2012 11:39 am
    But idiots none the less. ... Still, I wouldn't be sure of Reid's 'unnamed sources'.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ravensfan wrote...
    Threats against Obama
    August 27, 2012 6:11 am
    People should not be making threats against the President of the United States. I do understand the frustration with Obama as his goal is to transform America into a welfare socialist state and is destroying the economy attempting to achieve this goal. Too many people are under employed or unemployed which creates this frustration.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Ravensdad
    August 27, 2012 5:20 pm
    Actually the HATE is built on a daily basis by the GOP talk machine they do it by constant lying attacks aimed at our President.The low IQ morons that make up the base of the GOP believe anything that Rush,Savage,Hannity and Beck throw out there
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Well,
    August 27, 2012 6:16 am
    Maybe if he wasn't destroying the country people wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if he would have created the Hope and change he promised people wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if he hadn't of waged class warfare against the People who actually pay over HALF the TAXES in this Country people wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if unemployment wasn't actually at 15% Nation wide people wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if he hadn't wasted $6 TRILLION tax Dollars and pushed the Country up to the edge of BANKRUPTCY, People wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if gas prices weren't headed back up towards $5.00 per gallon, people wouldn't hate him so much? Maybe if he hadn't been the most divisive POTUS in HISTORY, people wouldn't hate him so much? I could go on & on, but I don't want anybody to think I hate him...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    maplefish
    August 27, 2012 7:59 am
    You are consistent in you idiotic comments I will say that for you.If you can explain just how Obama has anything to do with gas prices you could possibly win some support.Now I know he has little or no power over Big Oil but I also know your side has visions of attacking Iran and if that happens gas prices will easily double perhaps triple overnight.Do you doubt that for a second?As far as being a divisive leader goes you rightys will use that tired old B/S until the next Dem is elected and he will be labeled the MOST divisive.When hundreds of elected Republican Politicians sign a pledge (not to the voters but to Grover Norquist)that under no circumstances will they raise taxes it shows the voting public EXACTLY who the DIVISIVE ELEMENT actually is
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Ohhhh Messsy you are so confused...
    August 27, 2012 8:17 am
    In his inaugural address, Obama promised “not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.” He promised to “build the roads and bridges, the electric grids, and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.” He promised to “restore science to its rightful place and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost.” And he promised to “transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.” Unfortunately the president’s scorecard on every single one of those bold pledges is pitiful. He is a FAILURE! He has accomplished NOTHING. He Spent $6 TRILLION tax dollars and created ZERO Jobs...Liars never figure and figures never lie. plus Big Oil employes about $2 Million people world wide and pays huge retirement dividends to millions of retired Americans.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    maplefish
    August 27, 2012 10:55 am
    Please explain how that the POTUS can control the price we pay at the pump for gas. Also about the promises Obama made goes ,your obviously a naive hayseed as everyone who runs for the highest office has a wish list that he hopes to complete while in office.If Romney is elected and Obamacare stays in place it won't be Romneys fault it will be because he could NOT get the needed votes to get rid of it.If one side in a 2 sided negotiation cannot or will not negotiate the President is dead in the water.Thats the way our government works. Wake up
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    It's his watch
    August 27, 2012 1:54 pm
    And if we would have showed some backbone and approved the KeyStone pipeline, it would have driven the price down just by quieting the speculators...But again, you know nothing of how the economy or the stock market actually work, so I'm not going to waste my time with yet another lesson. Hayseed....Yeah, that's me...As opposed to you, a stupid Hippy!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    maplefish
    August 27, 2012 5:23 pm
    In case you did not notice he took on the UNions by denying the pipeline and he also backed the States that did not want the pipeline unless studies can show no harm can come to the Aquifer.Also I mentioned that the oil from Alberta will reach the world market with or without the keystone pipeline.So the ball is in your court HAYSEED
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    well, if it is overwhelming
    August 27, 2012 6:22 am
    maybe someone should have a talk with the boss about toning down all that Chicago thug style rhetoric. When the most divisive President in history uses a hate filled, divide and conquer strategy against the country, you would expect a little backlash.

    Chains You Can Believe In

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Americans dont hate the Obama,
    August 27, 2012 6:40 am
    Americans hate what the Obama regime is doing to our nation!

    Why would we send threats against the Dear Leader when we can safely and legally vote this malignant tumor out of our government!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    HaHa
    August 27, 2012 8:02 am
    When someone threatens your life its a show of HATE you Dummie.To answer your question you won't (can't) win at the ballot box no matter how hard you try to suppress the vote.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    ContemptB4
    August 27, 2012 7:11 am
    Care to show in any of my posts where I have called for violence against Obama? Feel free to cut and paste any proof of this!

    I have not had the SS at my door but I am sure you are correct when you say that I am on the radar of this regime for simply speaking the truth against your Dear Leader Obama!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    totally.
    August 27, 2012 11:25 am
    they really care about a coward behind a computer screen commenting on a regional news stations' article threds. must be because you're so well spoken and only speak using proven fact.

    (cough)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    ContemptB4Investigation CH on the list? . . . .
    August 27, 2012 7:16 am
    you must be new to the site. Stay tuned.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    No, contemptable HAS the real list.
    August 27, 2012 7:41 am
    You're soon to find out what happens when useful idiots are no longer useful.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    and..
    August 27, 2012 7:26 am
    The Dumbing down of America continues..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }