Federal prosecutors have indicted a government employee on serious charges after a series of anonymous threats were made against a Republican congresswoman and her team using taxpayer-funded resources.
According to Breitbart, Seth Jason, a longtime worker for Voice of America, allegedly made eight threatening phone calls to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s offices, targeting the congresswoman, her staff, and their families between late 2023 and early 2025.
Jason was arrested early Thursday morning, and a grand jury indictment was unsealed in Washington, D.C., detailing four felony charges stemming from the alleged threats. The charges include two counts of attempting to influence a federal official, one count involving threats to kidnap or cause injury, and one count related to telecommunications harassment.
According to the indictment, Jason used government-owned equipment located within the Washington, D.C. headquarters of Voice of America to place the calls. Federal prosecutors claim he regularly used studio and control room phones between October 2023 and January 2025 to make the threats.
The investigation revealed that Jason allegedly made calls to congressional offices based in Georgia connected to Rep. Greene. Each call, made anonymously, included violent language targeting the congresswoman and her personnel. Several of the threats referenced firearms and, according to the U.S. attorney, included talk of kidnapping a member of Greene’s family.
Final Call Came Right After Inauguration
The timing of the final threatening call added national focus to the case. Prosecutors stated that the last call occurred on Jan. 21, 2025, just one day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, which raised additional concerns over political motivations.
In a public announcement, Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed the charges and emphasized the seriousness of threats against elected officials. If convicted on all counts, Jason could spend up to 27 years in federal prison under sentencing guidelines.
The incident has drawn swift reaction from federal officials, especially those within the parent agency overseeing Voice of America. Kari Lake, senior adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, condemned the alleged behavior in sharp terms, calling it a blatant abuse of federally funded tools and resources.
Agency Leader Points to Broader Issues
Lake urged authorities to pursue the maximum legal punishment if Jason is found guilty. She framed the incident as symptomatic of longstanding dysfunction inside the news agency and took the opportunity to connect the case to recent restructuring moves by the federal media organization.
Last month, Lake announced a massive overhaul of the Voice of America and its parent agency, involving the elimination of 1,400 jobs. According to her statement, the decision cut nearly 85 percent of the agency’s workforce. She cited mismanagement and prior misconduct as justification for the sweeping changes. Lake’s comments on Thursday echoed that stance. “It angers me that a taxpayer-funded VOA employee would use taxpayer-funded equipment in a depraved way to threaten the lives of people, including an elected official,” she said.
Representative Backs Staffing Cuts
Rep. Greene has not issued a detailed statement in response to the indictment, but she previously voiced support for the widespread staffing reductions at Voice of America. She pointed to findings from House Oversight investigations that, according to her office, exposed multiple layers of organizational failure.
Lake later expressed full support for defunding the agency entirely, aligning publicly with President Trump’s agenda to dismantle it. “President Trump wants the agency eliminated — I agree with him — it’s time to shut it down,” she said, connecting her remarks back to calls for accountability. The charges against Jason represent not just a criminal case against an individual, but also a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the future of government-funded media in the United States. As the investigation continues, officials appear poised to dig deeper into how such threats went undetected over a 15-month stretch.
Prosecutors Emphasize Public Safety
In announcing the charges, federal officials emphasized the importance of protecting public servants from violent rhetoric. Capitol Police, who received alerts from Greene’s staff about the troubling calls, worked closely with Justice Department investigators to trace the calls back to their origin point.
Jason has not yet entered a plea in the case and remains in custody following his arrest Thursday morning. His legal team has not released a public statement regarding the allegations or plans to mount a defense. A preliminary court date has not yet been scheduled. According to prosecutors, Jason’s actions not only posed a direct threat to elected officials but also undermined the integrity of an institution funded by American taxpayers.
