Federal authorities arrested a 22-year-old Tennessee woman on Thursday after she allegedly left a chilling voice mail threatening to assassinate U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The case has reignited concerns about violent threats against Republican officials and the pace at which such cases are prosecuted.
The suspect, identified as Penelope Convertino of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been charged with making threats to murder a federal official—specifically with the intent to interfere with her public duties. If convicted, Convertino faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Threat
The U.S. Department of Justice stated that on May 30, Convertino called Blackburn’s Nashville office and left a profanity-laced message threatening to shoot the senator and blow her head off “on national TV.”
“My name is motherker and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national TV,” the message reportedly said. “She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead fking body.”
Federal investigators tracked the threat to Convertino and made the arrest three months after the call was placed.
Blackburn Responds
Senator Blackburn, who is running for governor of Tennessee in 2026, thanked law enforcement for taking action.
“Threats against the life of any public official are unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” Blackburn said in a statement. “I am grateful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee for taking this threat seriously and for their swift action.”
Blackburn, a staunch conservative and longtime Trump ally, has frequently been the target of attacks from left-wing activists and media figures.
FBI Faces Criticism Over Delay
While the arrest is being hailed as a success by federal prosecutors, the FBI is under fire from fellow Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, who slammed the bureau for taking three months to act.
“Someone threatens [Blackburn’s] life and it takes the [FBI] 3 months to arrest the dirtbag?! That’s a problem,” Burchett posted on X.
Critics say that if the political roles were reversed and the threat was made against a left-wing official, the arrest would have been immediate and highly publicized.
2026 Race Heating Up
Blackburn, who secured re-election to a second Senate term in 2024, is now running in the 2026 Republican primary for governor of Tennessee. Her opponent is Rep. John Rose, a fellow Republican with strong grassroots support.
The death threat is not expected to derail Blackburn’s campaign, and her supporters say it underscores the dangerous rhetoric and escalating hostility toward conservatives in public life.
As tensions rise nationwide, many GOP leaders are calling for harsher penalties and faster response times when threats are made against elected officials.
Blackburn’s message remains firm: she won’t be intimidated or silenced.
The post FBI Nabs Suspect Over Chilling Threat To Assassinate Sen. Marsha Blackburn appeared first on Real News Now.
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