In a chilling case that has shaken Capitol Hill, federal authorities have arrested a government employee accused of waging a sustained, 15-month campaign of violent threats against Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and members of her staff.
The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Seth Jason, was a studio worker at Voice of America (VOA), the U.S.-funded international broadcast agency, where he allegedly used government property to issue multiple death threats over the phone.
Jason now faces multiple felony charges, including influencing a federal official by threatening a family member, making interstate threats with the intent to injure or kidnap, and using anonymous communication channels to terrorize Greene’s congressional district offices in Georgia.
The U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department confirmed the arrest on Monday, announcing that the long-running investigation had culminated in an unsealed federal indictment.
What makes the case particularly alarming is the calculated nature of the threats. According to court filings, Jason allegedly placed at least eight terrifying phone calls from various masked numbers, including several originating directly from inside Voice of America’s production rooms and studios in Maryland.
The calls began in October 2023 and continued unabated until January 2025—just one day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, signaling an ideological motive and deeply personal hatred for Greene and her association with Trump’s MAGA movement.
Greene, who has long faced political criticism and intense scrutiny for her outspoken support of conservative causes, said this latest threat felt different.
“For 15 months, I received terrifying death threats from one individual who worked alarmingly close to my office building at the Voice of America,” Greene said in a statement to the Daily Caller.
“That kind of sustained, targeted harassment is deeply disturbing. I truly feared for my life, as I do with all of the death threats I receive.”
Greene praised the swift and decisive response of federal law enforcement and publicly thanked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Senior Advisor Kari Lake, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the prosecutorial team who worked the case.
“Threatening an elected official, their family, or their staff is not free speech; it’s a crime, and it must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. My family and I are incredibly grateful. Justice must be served,” she said.
The arrest comes at a time of increasing political polarization and concern about the safety of public officials. Capitol Police have reported a steady rise in threats against members of Congress, and Greene, a frequent target of protests and media attacks, has routinely received threats since taking office. However, the prolonged nature and physical proximity of this case makes it particularly harrowing.
According to the indictment, Jason used government phones and masking technology to disguise his identity, often calling Greene’s district offices in Dalton and Rome, Georgia, and leaving voicemails that included graphic threats of violence and death.
He allegedly threatened to kidnap and kill Greene, her staff, and their families using firearms, and repeatedly stated he was monitoring her movements and schedule.
In one call detailed in the indictment, Jason allegedly warned, “I know where she’s going to be next week, and if you think I won’t act, you’re wrong.” In another, he described “taking out” staffers and referred to “cleansing” Washington of MAGA supporters.
Law enforcement sources say the calls were so disturbing that Greene’s office began coordinating daily security briefings with Capitol Police.
But perhaps most unsettling was the revelation that Jason was using federal resources—working from inside the Voice of America’s secure studios while on the payroll of the American taxpayer—to issue the threats.
Kari Lake, President Trump’s new director at VOA, issued a statement confirming her office’s full cooperation with investigators. She detailed how internal communications and studio logs led to the identification of Jason as the culprit.
“A Voice of America employee has been indicted for threatening Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene using phones at the VOA studios to threaten Greene and her staff,” Lake wrote on X.
“The phone calls came from inside the VOA studios and control room where threats were made to the district offices of Congresswoman Greene over a 15-month period.”
“The indictment says the VOA employee threatened to kidnap and use firearms to kill Greene, her staff, and their families. The calls started in Oct. 2023 with the last call coming the day after President Trump was inaugurated,” she continued.
Lake, a fierce defender of Greene and one of Trump’s top media appointees, added, “If he is found guilty, I hope he is sentenced to the maximum amount of time behind bars.”
The legal consequences Jason faces are significant. Under federal law, influencing a federal official through threats of harm to themselves or family members carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Additional charges of threatening to kidnap across state lines carry up to five years each. The use of anonymous communication platforms to deliver threats adds another potential two years per count.
Jason is currently being held without bond, and prosecutors have requested that he remain in federal custody due to the danger he poses to public officials and the severity of the threats.
Court documents reveal that Jason, who had no prior criminal record, may have been radicalized over time, with online postings and internal emails suggesting growing hostility toward elected Republicans.
An internal Voice of America disciplinary report from early 2024 indicated that Jason had become increasingly erratic and confrontational with coworkers, but no action was taken beyond a written warning. Authorities are now reviewing whether red flags were missed or ignored.
The case has prompted intense discussion within the media community as well. Voice of America, a federally funded agency that broadcasts news internationally, is required by law to maintain strict neutrality and avoid partisan bias.
Jason’s actions, committed from within a media organization tasked with global journalism, have sparked questions about oversight and internal accountability.
“This incident not only represents a failure to protect members of Congress, but also a disgraceful misuse of taxpayer resources,” said Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who has introduced a resolution calling for a full audit of staffing and security protocols at VOA.
“How can Americans trust their government institutions when individuals working inside them are plotting to harm elected officials?”
Members of Congress across party lines have issued statements condemning the threats. While few Democrats commented directly on Greene’s involvement, several prominent voices, including Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), issued statements affirming that violence or threats against any public servant are unacceptable, regardless of politics.
Meanwhile, Greene has vowed to continue her work undeterred. “These threats will never stop me. If anything, they prove just how important it is that we stand up for law and order and expose the rot in the institutions meant to serve the American people.”
For now, the indictment against Seth Jason marks one of the most disturbing and direct threats against a sitting member of Congress in recent history.
As the case unfolds, it will likely raise renewed calls for enhanced protections for public officials and a broader debate about how political rhetoric, radicalization, and mental illness intersect in an increasingly volatile national climate.
Jason is expected to appear before a federal magistrate in Maryland next week. His legal team has not yet issued a public statement. If convicted on all charges, he could face more than 20 years in federal prison.
For Congresswoman Greene and her staff, the arrest ends a harrowing chapter—but not the ongoing reality of being a high-profile public figure in a deeply divided nation.
