Threats against Michigan lawmakers amid rise in political violence across the US

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Two Michigan lawmakers received bomb threats this week amid a rise in political violence.

Both incidents occurred on Thursday. However, while no bombs were found and everyone is safe, it is still raising concerns given the political climate.

What they're saying:

Michigan Senate Pro Tem Jeremy Moss and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist both received bomb threats targeting them and their homes. Law enforcement responded quickly to both incidents and determined there was no immediate threat.

Moss and Gilchrist condemned the threats of violence.

"There was an email sent, and a phone call made saying there was an explosive device that was going to be at the door to my building and that it was going to go off either when someone opened my door. Let’s be clear, I live in a building. We have other neighbors in Corktown, proximity to schools and churches. It’s not just an isolated place," said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist.

Meanwhile, Southfield mayoral candidate Sylvia Jordan spoke with us today about being bullied at a barbecue event she was invited to late last month at a senior apartment complex.

"About 10 minutes later this gentleman comes up to me, and he says in this tone you’ve got to leave this building," she said. "And so, I was basically ushered out of this building and the gentleman is probably about 6 feet tall, so he ushered my daughter and I out and we were in a panic mode we couldn’t believe this was happening."

Incidentally, Jordan mentioned that the building was owned by the City of Southfield. It's a public building, and she noted that other candidates running for office were also present. She says they were not asked to leave. This is not the first time we've covered this situation.

Dig deeper:

What happened to Sylvia Jordan, who you mentioned just weeks ago, is noteworthy. She has been in public office off and on since 1997 and says she's never seen anything like this. She believes the situation is at its boiling point and is only going to get worse.

She expressed concern for local lawmakers, national lawmakers, and political activists like Charlie Kirk. She advised them to watch their backs, not just political figures but also everyday people.

It's definitely something to think about, as people are so quick to fly off the handle and do something rash. 

As I mentioned, people need to lead with kindness and slow down. If you don't, people might think they should act otherwise. 

But leading with kindness is really the best approach.