New Yorker Accused Of Allegedly Threatening Susan Collins

A New York man is accused of allegedly making death threats against Senator Susan Collins and an Iowa senator.

According to the New York Post, 74-year-old Ronald DeRisi of Long Island was taken into custody on Friday after allegedly making threats against Collins and Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa. The threats were made on the phone before the vote on then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. There's no indication, however, that DeRisi was responsible for the threatening note received recently by Senator Collins' husband.

Officials say DeRisi is accused of leaving disturbing voicemails on the senators' office phones, in hopes of swaying their votes. In one of the messages, he allegedly tells Grassley that he has a 9 millimeter gun and threatens to put it next to the senator's head. He also allegedly called Collins a "twit" and advised that she should "pray this guy don't get in."

DeRisi has faced similar charges in the past, pleading guilty in Nassau County in 2015 to one count of aggravated harassment. It's not clear whether his target in that case was a public figure.