A man from Illinois, Eric James Rennert, has been charged with making violent threats against a federal judge in the Florida district that handled Donald Trump’s classified documents case. The indictment accuses Rennert of communicating interstate threats and threatening to assault, kidnap, and murder a federal judge, as well as threatening to injure or kidnap members of the judge’s family. While the court documents do not mention the judge’s identity explicitly, it is indicated that the threats occurred in St. Lucie County, Florida, where U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who presided over the criminal case against Trump, is based, along with another federal magistrate judge.
The threats made by Rennert were made three times in May and July and were intended to retaliate against the judge “on account of the performance of official duties.” He has been arrested and will be transported to Florida for his next court appearance. A plea has not yet been entered. Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump during his 2017-2021 White House term, dismissed all charges against Trump based on the finding that lead prosecutor Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed to the role. Prosecutors are appealing Cannon’s ruling in the hopes of reviving the case, which would likely not go to trial until after the 2024 presidential election.
In addition to presiding over Trump’s case, Cannon was also recently assigned to the case of a man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf course. Federal judges have been experiencing a rise in threats as part of an overall increase in violent rhetoric directed toward public officials in the United States. It was noted that a woman in Texas was sentenced to more than three years in prison in February after admitting to making threats against Cannon.
Representatives for the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami and the federal court in the Southern District of Florida did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the charges against Rennert. The details of the threats against the federal judge have raised concerns about the safety of public officials and the rise of threats against them. Rennert’s case highlights the seriousness of threats made against judges and public figures and the need for strong consequences for those who engage in such behaviors. The ongoing legal proceedings related to the threats and the dismissal of charges against Trump have added complexity to the situation and continue to be closely monitored by legal authorities.
