Man arrested for threatening to blow up Democratic Party of Wisconsin offices

Federal authorities charged a Madison man Friday with making a telephone threat in February to blow up the offices of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, among more than 100 calls, many threatening, that he allegedly placed to the office this year.

William O. Diederich, 61, repeatedly threatened to shoot Democrats and those supporting the recall of Gov. Scott Walker in phone calls he made to the Democratic Party’s office at 110 King St. in January, February and March, according to an affidavit by FBI agent Joseph Lavelle, filed in U.S. District Court in Madison.

On Feb. 24, the affidavit states, Diederich left a voice mail message stating that when the building explodes, the bombings of Sterling Hall on the UW-Madison campus and the federal building in Oklahoma City will “seem like a firecracker compared to what’s gonna happen to you people.”

During another call, on March 4, Diederich allegedly sang a song advocating that “Bama,” presumably President Barack Obama, be shot to death. He also threatened in other calls to shoot any candidates who ran against Walker, and that he would be taking “head shots” at Democrats on the streets around the Capitol. He said during another call that he has a concealed carry permit and that “people better be wearing bulletproof vests.”

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