BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges that he threatened to assault and murder former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Richard Lee Rogers of Yellowstone County in southern Montana entered the plea during an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan in federal court in Billings.
Rogers is charged with threats to injure and murder a member of Congress, which carries a 10-year prison sentence and $250,000 fine. He faces a second charge of making harassing telephone calls.
The threats allegedly happened Feb. 3, several weeks after Republicans elected McCarthy to his short-lived tenure as speaker —which was characterized by frequent clashes with hard-right members of his own party.