Robert Davis Forney, a 25-year-old resident of Duluth, Georgia, appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge following his indictment by a federal grand jury on June 10, 2025. The charges against him include communicating threats in interstate commerce.
"Threatening our elected officials and their families is an act of violence that undermines our entire democracy," stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Political discourse and disagreements never justify resorting to vile attacks against our nation’s leaders."
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown emphasized the gravity of the situation, saying, "Targeting public officials with threatening messages is a serious federal crime. There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. We will not hesitate to arrest and charge others who engage in similar criminal conduct."
The charges stem from incidents on January 9, 2025, when Forney allegedly left voicemails threatening sexual violence against Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and his family. A day later, he reportedly made similar threats against Nebraska U.S. Senator Deb Fischer.
It is important to note that an indictment only contains charges; the defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and violent crime through coordinated efforts from various task forces.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are leading the prosecution, with investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police.
For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. Further details can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
