A Boca Raton resident was arrested Thursday after threatening U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, the congressman announced.
Just after 2:30 p.m., Moskowitz wrote in a post on X: “A constituent of mine has just been arrested in Boca, just a few miles from my house, for threatening my life. He is currently in the Palm Beach County jail. I’m grateful to @fdlepio and local law enforcement for acting quickly to keep myself and my family safe.”
Moskowitz told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that “a gentleman left a message on our voicemail threatening me, saying he wanted to slit my throat.” He said he provided the voice message, which had been left on Thursday at his official congressional office on Sample Road in Coral Springs, to law enforcement, who traced the call.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement did not respond to an email or voicemail seeking further information.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz becomes latest Jewish lawmaker to reveal antisemitic threats
Moskowitz, a Democrat, is running against Republican nominee former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer in the newly reconfigured 25th Congressional District. The two candidates, who are both Jewish, on Tuesday night debated at a synagogue in Boca Raton with a heavy police and security presence. They were asked to elaborate on how they have combatted antisemitism and plan to continue doing so.
Moskowitz answered: “Well, I’ll tell you, listen, you don’t have to listen to me on what I’ve done fighting antisemitism, standing up for Israel. Listen to the antisemites who are trying to kill me, right? My wife is here. We have police outside our house 24 hours a day now. The security that’s going on in here tonight is for me, and the mayor, and you all, but it’s a lot for me. I can’t go anywhere now without security because of the work I’ve done fighting antisemitism and the voice that I’ve had on the issue.”
Singer later in the debate said he has received death threats previously as well. He replied to Moskowitz’s post on X on Thursday afternoon: “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our politics, and I am grateful that the police have arrested the suspect. No one looking to serve should live in fear. Many friends and I have also faced death threats. Disagreement should not lead to hatred, extremism, or violence.”
Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, left, and U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, right, participate in a Congressional District 25 candidate forum with South Florida Sun Sentinel political reporter Anthony Man, center, at Congregation B’nai Israel in Boca Raton on Tuesday. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Moskowitz told the Sun Sentinel on Thursday police are constantly stationed at his home.
“Anything that’s scheduled, I have to have security with me,” he said.
In November 2024, police discovered that Moskowitz’s name was included on a Margate resident’s “hit list” while responding to a call at the man’s home. At John Lapinski Jr.’s home, police found a list of synagogues, Jewish businesses and Moskowitz’s name, along with six different guns and a large stock of ammunition. Lapinski was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison last year.
In a written statement Thursday, Moskowitz’s office said of Lapinski’s threat: “Following the incident, Congressman Moskowitz and his family have been under heightened security protection, including a law enforcement presence at their residence and additional security measures during public appearances.”
Police discovered potential Moskowitz threat seemingly by chance. Would they be able to do it again?
Moskowitz told the Sun Sentinel he informed his wife, Leah, and children about Thursday’s incident, as he does “every time this happens.”
“I spare my kids the details. I have to tell my kids because they see the increase in police at the house, right? I give my wife the details, sometimes I spare her stuff,” he said.
Separate threat a week ago
Just last week, in a separate and unrelated incident, Republican state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, whose District 91 includes Boca Raton, received a threatening voicemail at her office from a Boca Raton resident who said, “Stop sending me so much [expletive] mail. I’m going to slit your [expletive] throat if you send me another piece of this trash,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
The man, identified in court records as Luke Schlauder, 25, allegedly left the representative multiple voicemails with threats on Oct. 12, according to the affidavit, and told Boca Raton Police he made the calls because he was “just really tired of receiving the mailers” from the representative’s office.
He faces one count of written or electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm to another and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device. He has not yet entered a plea to the charges. Palm Beach County jail records say he is on in-house arrest.
Gossett-Seidman told the Sun Sentinel she was “shocked” to hear that Moskowitz received a similar voicemail within a week.
“No one talks like that, not even in Halloween horror movies,” she said. “The tone and tenor of the person threatening me was horrid and just totally vile … I think people have lost their minds, and I feel badly for Rep. Moskowitz. We should not have to go through this, trying to serve our districts.”
As of late Thursday, no law enforcement agency has indicated the threats against Gossett Seidman and Moskowitz are related.
Widespread suspicious mailings
As midterm Election Day approaches, Congress members across the country have reported receiving suspicious envelopes and packages, prompting FBI investigations. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, earlier this week received a suspicious mailing at her office in Sunrise.
In a written statement, the congresswoman said the incident was “clearly designed to intimidate me and my staff.”
“While initial tests were negative for any hazardous material, law enforcement will do further analysis as they continue their larger investigation” into the similar mailings around the country, the statement said.
Last week, suspicious packages were received in the mail at the offices of Central Florida congressmen Maxwell Frost and Darren Soto as well, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.