Former Democratic Congressional candidate Elijah Manley was arrested on Friday for allegedly posting death threats on Facebook against his colleagues who do not support far-left Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon. Manley, 27, was charged with two counts of making written or electronic threats to kill or injure, both felonies.
According to CBS News Miami:
One post said: “Every Democrat needs to get behind the Democratic nominee for Senate [Angie Nixon]. Anybody not doing that, I promise you I’m going to cut your [expletive] head off.”Authorities said Manley later tagged two people in the comments and wrote more messages that investigators interpreted as threats.One comment said: “I’m talking to y’all. I saw y’all comments earlier. I’m already pissed off, do not piss me off more. I swear to god, take me to war over this black woman, and I promise y’all I will burn y’all [expletive] castle to the ground and anyone else in my way.”According to the warrant, Manley told investigators the comments were not meant as actual threats. He said he and the two people were having a political disagreement and that his remarks were a challenge to their political views, not an expression of intent to cause harm.
NBC Miami reported that Manley was booked into the Broward County Jail on Friday, with bond set at $40,000. He was released Saturday. “He was ordered not to possess any weapons, contact the victims, and post on social media.”
Broward State Attorney’s Office spokesperson Paula McMahon told NBC Miami that the office will not be handling the case because the “listed victims have participated in several charitable drives organized by the Broward State Attorney’s Office over the years.” McMahon added that the office has asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to assign the case to another state attorney’s office.
Manley, a Fort Lauderdale activist and Democratic Party organizer, who identifies as a socialist, ran against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and three other candidates in the August Democratic primary for Florida’s 20th Congressional District. He finished third with 13.9% of the vote.
Manley proudly announced on June 18 that Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) had endorsed him. Although Manley’s campaign website is no longer active, news of the endorsement was reported by local media outlet, News from the States.
According to the article, Khanna’s written statement read:
I’m proud to endorse Elijah Manley, the only progressive in this race. He refuses corporate money and will fight to end the US-funded genocide. He understands this district’s economic struggles firsthand, as an educator who works with its kids and who grew up homeless after his family lost their home in the global financial crisis.
Manley was deeply honored to receive support from such a luminary. He issued the following statement in response:
Congressman Khanna has never been afraid to challenge the political establishment when working people are getting left behind. I’m honored to have his support. This campaign is proving that you don’t need corporate money, lobbyists, or political dynasties to build a movement. You need people. Together, we’re going to protect this district’s voice and send a fighter for working families in Washington.
Khanna also endorsed Angie Nixon.
You may recall seeing Manley on cable talk shows ahead of the summer primary. He came across as a strident socialist. He was extremely opposed to ICE which he described as “a hypermilitarized gang of people running through the streets chasing people” and called for it to be abolished. And naturally, he supported the entire democratic socialist agenda. [Video of his interview with Fox News host Griff Jenkins ahead of the Florida primary can be viewed here.]
Manley insists his remarks were merely part of a political disagreement. But promising to cut off someone’s head for refusing to support your preferred candidate is a strange way to build the people-powered movement he once touted. The charges will be decided in court.
In the meantime, Khanna might consider whether the man he endorsed understands the difference between fighting for working families and threatening people who disagree with him.
In fact, Khanna might also reflect on the caliber of each of the candidates he saw fit to endorse this election cycle.
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