Following an unsettling incident where ex-49er Bruce Miller allegedly sent a death threat to California Rep. Eric Swalwell through Twitter, concerns have arisen once again about political intimidation and the platform's ability to address such grievances. According to The Reporter, Swalwell shared a screenshot of the direct message from Miller's account (@BruceMillerIII) that stated it was “almost time” for the congressman to either go to Guantanamo or face execution, followed by laughing emojis and an expletive.
Who is this guy threatening to execute me? And how does he have so many followers? pic.twitter.com/M2E2x9l3dR
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 17, 2023
In a public statement, Swalwell expressed his alarm, stating that his family and staff were deeply disturbed by the threat: “Threats of political violence are unacceptable. They also will not silence me from defending democracy.” Swalwell isn't new to online threats, but Miller's sizable Twitter following of over 54 thousand users raises significant concern. The congressman also used this opportunity to invite Republican colleagues, who have remained silent about the violent environment in which they govern, to join him in condemning political threats, insisting that law enforcement must investigate this issue and hold the responsible individual accountable.
However, as reported by Mercury News, Miller claims the message was not a threat and merely a "harmless game of 'would you rather' Guantanamo or execution." He further justified his comment by stating he's "not a threat to anyone else" and identifies as neither a Republican nor Democrat, but an American tired of watching the "corrupt establishment destroy our country."
Miller is no stranger to controversy. In fact, his NFL career came to a tumultuous close in prior to the start of the 2016 season, when he was cut from the San Francisco 49ers following an alleged assault of two men and an arrest on suspicion of domestic assault. ESPN reported that a witness claimed Miller had threatened to kill the two men and the mother of one of the men. In another case, Miller also allegedly shoved his former fiancée and destroyed her cell phone during an argument. The prior charges were eventually dropped, but Miller was sentenced to a 16-week anti-domestic violence course after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace.
This recent exchange between the retired 49er and Representative Swalwell highlights the increasingly polarized nature of American society. Regrettably, as similar incidents seem to be becoming more frequent with cases on social platforms abound.
Currently serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing California's 14th congressional district, Swalwell is a vocal member of the homeland security and judiciary committees. The congressman also briefly dipped his toes into the presidential race in 2019. More recently, The Reporter states that Swalwell was designated the top Democrat on the subcommittee for cybersecurity and infrastructure protection just three months ago.
