New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew speaks at the Republican National Convention in August 2020. (Courtesy of the Republican National Committee/Getty Images)
New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew (D) held a press conference with Cape May County Sheriff Bob Nolan on Monday (March 15), where he released a recording of a death threat phone call made against him.
In the recording, Ocean City resident and author John McCall said, “I swear I will exterminate you as a politician, and I believe you are a degenerate. As a member of the New Jersey Press Association (NJPA), I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are deposed, if not dead. Anything I can do to get you out of office, I will do. You’re a traitor! Jeff Van Drew, you deserve the fate of all traitors!”
Van Drew switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in December 2019 at the invitation of former President Trump, who made a special trip to Wildwood in January 2020 to stump for Van Drew’s campaign. Van Drew was the only New Jersey congressman to vote against certifying President Biden‘s election results.
Van Drew’s supportive attitude toward Trump drew the ire of some.
John McCaul, a guest columnist for the Ocean City Sentinel and the person who left the death threat call, personally attacked Van Drew and used offensive language against Van Drew’s wife in an opinion piece published in the paper on March 10.
At a news conference Monday, Van Drew called on the Ocean City Sentinel and the New Jersey Press Association to condemn McCall, denounce the threats, retract the opinion piece and publicly apologize.
Van Drew said legal action is not ruled out and “any and all legal options are on the table.”
The New Jersey Press Association responded Monday, saying, “John McCall is not and has never been a member of the New Jersey Press Association.”
After the news conference, Ocean City Sentinel editor and publisher David Nahan apologized for publishing the op-ed, but would not agree to take it down. He said McCall was a guest columnist but was not paid for his work.
Nahan responded to Van Drew in a written statement, saying, “Because you felt threatened and felt your wife was threatened, I’m sorry.” “I knew in advance that the op-ed was scathing and highly critical of you and your supportive attitude toward the former president. But I don’t believe it contained any threat of harm.”
Nahan said he has urged readers and writers to “tone down the political anger” that he believes is dividing the country.
Cape May Sheriff Bob Nolan said he has a responsibility to protect all those who work, live or visit in Cape May County. “Congressman Van Drew did not offer himself or his Family as a public service to be the target of threats or violence by anyone, let alone a newspaper columnist. The Cape May County Sheriff’s Office takes all threats seriously and political violence of any kind will not be tolerated.”
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