Houston Man Sentenced for Making Racist Threats to Rep. Maxine Waters

Houston Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Making Racist Threats Against Rep. Maxine Waters

Brian Michael Gaherty, a 61-year-old man from Houston, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for making racist threats against Rep. Maxine Waters of California. Gaherty was also fined $10,000 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner added a hate-crime enhancement to Gaherty’s sentence, noting that he targeted Waters because she is Black. Gaherty’s lawyer, Joseph Vinas, stated that his client was “very apologetic for what occurred” and attributed his actions to a mental health condition resulting from being a victim of violent crime himself.

During the sentencing, Waters was present, and Vinas conveyed Gaherty’s apology and plea for forgiveness to her and those affected by his threats. Gaherty had pleaded guilty to threatening a United States official in January, admitting to making threats of murder and assault to Waters in August and November 2022.

In the threatening calls, Gaherty made violent remarks, including threatening to harm Waters and law enforcement. He was arrested and indicted on eight counts in August of the previous year.

Waters expressed her fear and the impact of such threats, stating, “This growing effort to target people of color and women of color… has given me nightmares. I am in fear of my life. I believe that we must all be accountable. Nobody is above the law.”

The case highlights the seriousness of threats against public officials and the consequences of hate-motivated actions.