Secret Service to Investigate Palin-Inspired Threats Against Leland Yee

Threats directed against state Sen. Leland Yee after he began asking questions about how much Sarah Palin is being paid to speak at California State University Stanislaus have been turned over to the California Highway Patrol and U.S. Secret Service for investigation, a state senate security official told SF Weekly.

Chief Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Tony Beard, Jr. said the messages are to be investigated by CHP threat detectives -- as is normal for threats on state elected officials -- and also the Secret Service, which was alerted because of remarks in the message about President Barack Obama. "That's what the law requires," he said. "They'll get back to us accordingly."

Yesterday, Yee issued a press release sharing some of the hate-mail he has received since launching an inquiry into how much Palin will be paid to speak at CSU Stanislaus in June. One message stated, in capital letters, "WERE YOU TO EXTRACT YOUR HEAD FROM TREASONOUS MARXIST NIGGER HUSSEIN OBAMA'S RECTUM, YOUR BRAIN WOULD STILL FUNCTION AT ITS PRESENT MUCH DIMINISHED LEVEL BUT AT LEAST THE NIGGER SHIT SMELL WOULD EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE." The fax included an image of a pickup truck dragging a noose.

A phone message left for Yee declared, "Maybe we ought to have a homosexual with a long enough dick to where he can stick it up his ass and fuck himself while he is onstage giving a speech. ... So, good thing you [Yee] run in San Francisco 'cause you'd never make it anywhere else."

Yee's Chief of Staff, Adam Keigwin, said Yee and his family, while "cognizant" of the threats directed against the state senator, aren't doing anything to alter their daily routines. Beard said no additional security measures have been taken in Sacramento following the messages.

Meanwhile, Keigwin called on Sarah Palin to tell her followers to cut it out. "She needs to call on her supporters to end these threats, end their harassment. She clearly has influence over these people."

Cartoon   |   Mark Fiore