HARRISBURG — Twenty Pennsylvania legislators were allegedly threatened online by a Lebanon County man who police say posted a "hit list" and referenced a “Memorial Day Operation,” law enforcement records show.
The man, 42-year-old Adam G. Berryhill, was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police officials last week and charged with making terroristic threats, according to an agency report on the incident. The report states that Berryhill allegedly posted “politically violent” posts on his X account in late April and made statements about “shooting.”
The State Police report lists 20 state lawmakers — all Democrats — from the House and Senate who were allegedly threatened. They include House Speaker Joanna McClinton, Sen. Sharif Street, and Reps. Jordan Harris and Chris Rabb.
The law enforcement agency did not release Berryhill’s alleged threatening posts. But a screenshot of one from April 22, seen by Spotlight PA, lists four Democrats on a hit list and calls them “gun grabbing communists!”
Legislative leadership did not immediately provide comment.
At least two of the lawmakers named as victims in the case said they only found out about the threats on Tuesday.
State Sen. Katie Muth, a Democrat from Montgomery County, said she learned of the arrest from a colleague who had discovered a letter in the mail on Tuesday, stating that Berryhill is scheduled for a court hearing this week. (Crime victims are alerted to such proceedings).
“I think it’s egregious,” said Muth, who quickly searched her office mail and also found a notice. “There is an utter disregard for our existence. … This is wild to me.”
Reached for comment, State Police spokesperson Logan Brouse said the legislature’s sergeant at arms is responsible for notifying lawmakers of threats. Brouse could not immediately say when or whether State Police had informed the sergeant of arms about the arrest.
Rep. Emily Kinkead (D., Allegheny) said she was first told about the threats on Tuesday in an email from House Democrats’ legal counsel sent to all the members named in the case. That email, she said, included the court document filed against Berryhill and a copy of his alleged post to X.
“State Police and our caucus are handling this the way they thought they needed to handle this,” Kinkead said, adding that she hasn’t been told about any heightened security measures for lawmakers in the wake of the threats.
Kinkead, who said she was frustrated about the growing number of cases of political violence, said she informed her family and staff once she found out about the threat against her.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia), said he’s known about the threat “for some time,” though he wouldn’t elaborate.
“This is not the first time I’ve had to deal with a credible death threat,” Kenyatta said. “Unfortunately, in our body politic, there seems to be more and more instances of people feeling like it is OK to threaten, or in very tragic scenarios, inflict violence on people with whom they disagree.”
Last year, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro was targeted by a Harrisburg man who broke into the state-owned governor’s mansion near the state Capitol and set fire to multiple rooms while the governor and his family were asleep inside.
No one was harmed, but the assailant, Cody Balmer, told authorities that had he encountered Shapiro, he would have beaten him with a hammer. Balmer pleaded guilty last year to attempted murder and other charges.
Since then, Shapiro has discussed the emotional toll the attack had taken on him and his family, and has spoken forcefully against political violence.
Berryhill is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday before a magistrate judge in Lebanon County. Online court records do not list an attorney.
Berryhill has had several previous run-ins with the law, including misdemeanor guilty pleas related to drug possession and receiving stolen property charges.
In 2016, he pleaded guilty to three counts of issuing terroristic threats and three counts of simple assault. Lebanon police said that Berryhill had threatened to kill three women while breaking into the bedroom where they were hiding with an axe.
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