An Ohio woman has been sentenced for threats against Michigan lawmakers, landmarks in the ongoing tension surrounding political discourse, and the safety of public servants. Sandra Bachman, 61, of Batavia, Ohio, faced Judge Joyce Draganchuk in the 30th Circuit Court in Ingham County, receiving a prison sentence of 23 months to five years for leaving a racially charged and politically motivated death threat to former State Representative Cynthia A. Johnson. In her statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel emphasized the gravity of such offenses, "Threats made against elected officials are serious offenses and cannot be normalized,” as reported by the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
Bachman's legal troubles don't end with this sentence, she also pleaded guilty to a count of Malicious Use of Telecommunication Services for a threatening voicemail directed at now State Senator Sarah Anthony, a charge carrying a six-month sentence. This district court's sentence will be executed concurrently with her circuit court sentence, ensuring Bachman will serve time for both counts. Information provided by The Detroit News also chronicled the explicit content of the messages left by Bachman, which included a layered threat of racial slurs and graphic death threats.
State Representative Anthony, who had experienced the sharp edge of Bachman's vitriol in the form of a voicemail threatening unseen violence, was not available for immediate comment. The case, originally probed by Michigan State Police, found its way to the Department of Attorney General for prosecution. Attorney General Nessel's office has committed to prosecuting such crimes fully, with Nessel stating, as per the Michigan Department of Attorney General, "No public servant should have to sacrifice their own safety while working to serve the constituents they represent."
The context of these threats ties back to 2020, when Representative Johnson started receiving them after publicly questioning a witness in a hearing on the 2020 election's integrity. Johnson herself was censured for a response to threats through a Facebook video, prompting a contentious political and social media aftermath. Bachman was scheduled for sentencing in connection with the threat to Senator Anthony on Wednesday, before Judge Cynthia Ward of the 54A District Court in Lansing, as The Detroit News detailed. The sentencing for Bachman, weighs, not just the fate of one woman guilty of harrowing verbal assault but also the tenor of political dialogue and the sanctity of public service in these charged times.
