South Florida woman charged with threatening to kill FBI agents after Facebook video rant
A South Florida woman has been charged with threatening to kill FBI agents on social media after they inquired about her possible presence at the U.S. Capitol riot, prosecutors said Friday.
Suzanne Kaye, 59, of Boca Raton, said on her Facebook page that she was present at the Jan. 6 insurrection while Congress was counting Electoral College votes confirming Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump for president. Trump was later impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate after lawmakers accused him of inciting the riot during a speech that day.
After receiving a tip in mid-January about Kaye’s presence at the Capitol, FBI agents contacted her near the end of the month to set up an interview, according to a criminal affidavit. Kaye told the FBI that she did not travel to Washington, D.C., for the demonstration but knew others who went there and agreed to speak with agency, providing the address to her home.
On Jan. 31, Kaye posted a video on her Facebook page titled “ANGRY Patriot Hippie,” with the caption, “F--- the FBI!!” According to the affidavit, Kaye announced on the video that she received a telephone call from the FBI asking about her trip to Washington, D.C., and said she would not talk to any agents without a lawyer. In the video, Kaye also said she would exercise “my Second Amendment right to shoot your f------ ass if you come here,” implying that she would use violence against FBI agents if they came to her house, according to the affidavit.
On the same day, Kaye posted the threatening video on her Instagram and TikTok social media platforms, according to the affidavit.
Kaye, who was arrested earlier this week, has a bond hearing scheduled for Feb. 22 and an arraignment on March 3.
Her assistant federal public defender, Kristy Militello, said she plans to mount a free-speech defense.
“We will vigorously defend Ms. Kaye’s First Amendment right to express herself on social media and against this alleged crime,” Militello said in a statement. “We look forward to presenting her defense at the appropriate time in court.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 5:22 PM.
