Prosecutors say that a man in Chicago led a political television commercial at a bar, expressing anger over a threatening voicemail sent to Darren Bailey, a Republican nominee for governor. The voicemail also prompted his family and him to receive a threat to kill and mutilate them. This threat also led to schools in downstate being put on lockdown.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has set bail at $75,000 for Scott Lennox, a 21-year-old residing at 3300 N. Lake Shore Drive. Lennox is facing charges of threatening a public official, engaging in telephone harassment, and engaging in harassment through electronic communications.

On Wednesday, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Susana Ortiz placed Lennox on electronic surveillance and prohibited him from communicating with Bailey, his relatives, or any of his assistants.

Ortiz stated during the hearing, “It will absolutely not be endured.” Ortiz expressed, “This surpassed any acceptable boundaries, even within the realm of political discussion.”

Paul Pelosi, the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was assaulted with a hammer in his San Francisco townhome by an intruder who specifically targeted him. This incident occurred last Friday, which coincided with the receipt of a threatening voicemail.

According to data from the Capitol Police, the number of members of Congress facing threats and making concerning statements related to cases has more than doubled over the past few years, from 3,939 in 2017 to 9,625 in 2021.

Prosecutors from the Springfield office said that Bailey’s friends and Lennox got into a heated argument, with Lennox being described as “angry.” Lennox had been seen making repeated campaign appearances with others during the ad for the political commercial that aired on the television at the bar. After the bar fight in Chicago, Lennox followed up with a voicemail threat to Bailey.

According to prosecutors, Lennox reportedly expressed in the voicemail that “I intend to harm Darren Bailey extensively, ensuring his survival, and I plan to make him witness the agony of his own family being consumed by him while he is alive and suffering immensely.” Additionally, he purportedly discussed abortion in his communication.

Prosecutors claim that he made threatening remarks, stating, “And I am aware of the school he is employed at. I am aware of the location where his children rest. I know his place of sleep. I know his place of residence. You know what? If he doesn’t take his own life, I will. He is an individual who embodies white supremacy,” he further added, “Therefore, in all honesty, he should end his own life before any further consequences occur. The candidate who is spreading such false and misleading information will face death,” Lennox also stated.

Lennox also mentioned that he did not appreciate Governor J.B. Pritzker, but he expressed an even stronger dislike for Bailey.

I am going to kill him, if he doesn’t kill himself first, right? Yeah. I am going to make him suffer and scream. I am going to make him scream. I am willing to do anything and everything possible. What do you know? So. Prosecutors claim that in Bailey Lennox’s voicemail, it said, “He is a piece of shit, so fuck him.”

Bailey was informed to avoid appearing in public as the police investigated, and he was also given extra security detail. The family of Bailey, along with the schools he is affiliated with in southern Illinois, were placed on a soft lockdown.

According to a report from the Chicago police, Lennox left Bailey a voicemail on October 28 at 10:27 p.M. The police decided to investigate further after the Illinois State Police determined him to be a credible threat, although the Illinois Secretary of State Police did not come to an immediate conclusion.

Prosecutors stated that Lennox sent a Snapchat message to his friends, where he jokingly used three laughing face emojis while informing them that Bailey was under lockdown. In one of the messages, he even boasted about being a “political terrorist.” This allegedly provided evidence to the officers during his interview with the police.

According to prosecutors, Lennox wrote to another friend, “I feel so incredibly accomplished.”

Police stated that Lennox confessed to making the threats. He was apprehended at his Chicago residence at 10 p.M. On Monday.

On Wednesday, Bailey stated that the Democrats have been running ads in Illinois to portray him as “too extreme” and subtly reference their disapproval with “hatred,” which he considers as a form of “rhetoric.”

The farmer from downstate Xenia expressed in a statement that the misleading and inflammatory rhetoric driving hatred across our state is being falsely labeled as dangerous threats by political opponents.

Bailey said, “We Americans all, whether we agree or disagree on policies. I pray that this young man gets the help he needs. We must fight for the prosperity and safety of every Illinoisan and bring our state together.”

“Bailey, whom Pritzker repeatedly referred to as an ‘extremist’ during their final televised debate, should not be allowed anywhere near the governor’s office due to the potential harm he poses to the state.”

Bailey stated that the governor’s extreme policies are causing harm and leading to the loss of lives, expressing dissatisfaction with his incompetent and arrogant leadership. He also criticized Pritzker’s gender-related concerns, referring to them as extremely radical. Bailey used similar language that night to denounce the Democratic governor’s “woke ideology,” which he regarded as extreme and detrimental to the city.

Bailey joined Pritzker on Wednesday in denouncing the threat against his Republican opponent, tweeting that we are witnessing division and the use of violent rhetoric across the country, which is not acceptable.

“No form of hatred belongs in Illinois,” Pritzker tweeted.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, state Senate President Don Harmon, and state Comptroller Susana Mendoza also condemned the menacing danger.