On the recordFebruary 11, 2016
I rise to introduce the Interstate Threats Clarification Act, which is a necessary bill to clarify the ``level of intent'' required to convict someone for making threats to injure or kidnap another person. I would like to thank Senators Durbin, Whitehouse, and Klobuchar for cosponsoring the bill. In June 2015, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Elonis v. United States, a case involving a man who was convicted for posting on Facebook ``crude, degrading, and violent'' threats against his co- workers, ex-wife, law enforcement personnel, and a kindergarten class. The man started posting the violent and threatening posts after his wife of nearly 7 years left him and took with her their two young children. The threats made over Facebook caused his ex-wife to feel ``extremely afraid'' for her life, leading her to obtain a restraining order against him.…
