A Black state lawmaker in New York City said that a man who visited her office told her staffers that he would “bomb the place” if he didn’t get to see her.
Authorities arrested 42-year-old Vadim Dergachev on Monday and charged him with making terroristic threats — a felony — making a threat of massive harm, menacing in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.
State Sen. Cordell Cleare told City & State New York that Dergachev made the threats when he visited her office at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem on Monday.
She wasn’t in the office at the time, but her staff told her the man demanded to see her; otherwise, he would act on those threats.
Cleare said that while she was away, she called her front desk staffer to ask how she was doing, and the staff member replied, “I’m shaking.”
“She said that this man had come in and demanded immediately, just said, ‘I demand, I want to see (Cleare), and if I don’t get to see her, I’m going to shoot this office up, I’m going to bomb the place,’ and remarks similar to that,” Cleare said. “He went on to say these references to President-elect Trump, you know, ‘He’s the president now and things are going to change now.’ He made some disparaging remarks about President Biden and Vice President Harris.”
After security was called in, the building was cleared, police were called to the scene, and Dergachev was removed from the office and taken into custody, according to Cleare’s account. She added that Dergachev was unarmed when he entered the building.
“No one’s ever come in here and said they’re going to shoot up the place, and they’re going to bomb the place,” Cleare stated. “Of course, people are upset sometimes, angry or what have you. But to come in and threaten violence on that level is very unnerving and disturbing.”
The Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, & Asian Caucus for the New York state legislature released a statement condemning the politically motivated threats made against Cleare and her office.
“Regardless of political affiliation or preferred candidates, there is absolutely no room for threats or violence in our public discourse,” the caucus’s statement read, in part. “It is incumbent upon every leader, who holds a federal or local office, to set a positive example for all constituents by promoting respectful dialogue and fostering a culture of nonviolence.”
Cleare is currently serving her second term in the state Senate, representing the 30th District, which covers Central Harlem, East Harlem (El Barrio), West Harlem, Upper Westside, Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights neighborhoods.
