New York Man Threatened To Run Down Trump Supporters With His Car

A New York man nearly ran over a campaign volunteer at a Long Island congressman’s re-election headquarters Friday after threatening to kill supporters of the lawmaker and President Donald Trump, police said.

Martin Astrof, 75, was arrested outside his home shortly afterward and charged with making a terroristic threat and second-degree reckless endangerment, FOX5 New York reported.

Astrof had driven to the Nesconset, N.Y., campaign office of U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, and become "irate with a campaign worker” and threatened to kill him and Trump supporters, police said.

Authorities said that after making the threats, Astrof backed his car up in an “aggressive manner,” nearly striking the worker before driving home.

[...] Zeldin identified the campaign worker as Donato Panico, a deli owner who helped feed first responders after the attacks of 9/11 and was given an American flag flown near ground zero as thanks.

In the US, political scores are settled at the ballot box, not by trying to kill your political opponents. Donato Panico is a great American, supporter of @realDonaldTrump & one of my campaign vols. He shouldn't have been targeted like this today for his passion & involvement. https://t.co/Rh8Ae6MR4x

— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) July 7, 2018

I presented this flag 2 wks ago from Donato Panico, flown over WTC site & Iraq, to @RealDonaldTrump. A NY-1 Dem today tried to run Donato over w a vehicle & threatened to kill him for backing Pres Trump & I. Ppl shouldn't fear death or serious injury for backing their Pres & Rep. https://t.co/S9lbUlY8We

— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) July 7, 2018

TY @DonaldJTrumpJr for reaching out to make sure Donato was okay re yesterday’s incident. We settle our political scores at the ballot box in the USA! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://t.co/SZtIS7UqMz

— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) July 7, 2018