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Bartender plotted to kill US House Speaker Boehner: report

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AFP Washington
Last Updated : Jan 14 2015 | 4:00 PM IST
A bartender plotted to murder House Speaker John Boehner after hearing voices in his head telling him that the senior US lawmaker was "the devil," police documents obtained by an Ohio TV station have showed.
Michael Hoyt worked at Wetherington Country Club in West Chester, in Boehner's home state of Ohio, and served drinks to the speaker on numerous occasions, according to a US Capitol Police affidavit published by WCPO in Cincinnati.
Hoyt was indicted on January 7 on charges he threatened to murder Boehner last October after he was fired from his bartending job, according to WCPO.
"Speaker Boehner is aware of this situation, and sincerely thanks the FBI, the Capitol Police, and local authorities in Ohio for their efforts," his spokesman Michael Steel said.
Details of the alleged plot against Boehner -- who is second in the line of presidential succession after Vice President Joe Biden -- were revealed in a criminal complaint filed by US Capitol Police special agent Christopher Desrosiers.
One week after he was sacked, Hoyt called 911 and told police he blamed Boehner for his woes.

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He told officers he began hearing voices from his car speakers telling him that Boehner was evil, Desrosiers wrote in the document.
Hoyt also said Boehner was "responsible for Ebola," the officer said.
"Hoyt has imagined and believes John Boehner is the devil, and Hoyt believes he is Jesus Christ," Desrosiers added.
"Hoyt advised he had a loaded Beretta .380 automatic and he was going to shoot Boehner and take off."
The complaint also detailed how Hoyt acknowledged to police how he could have poisoned the top Republican in Congress by putting something in his drink, but did not.
"Hoyt stated that no one checks the drinks that he poured for Boehner and it would have been very easy to slip something into his drink," Desrosiers said.
The suspect also emailed Boehner's wife, demanding a meeting with Boehner and another club member in order to resolve their dispute.
WCPO reported that Hoyt was voluntarily admitted to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for observation and evaluation.
According to the documents, Boehner told police he "did not recall any negative interactions with Hoyt.

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First Published: Jan 14 2015 | 4:00 PM IST

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