As it turns out, it’s never a good idea to call for the hanging of a president. It could get you some very serious attention from the men in black who guard the nation’s leader.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, while Joshua Black—the political candidate seeking to win a seat in the Florida House of Representatives—gained a lot of name recognition, Twitter followers and attention from news media for his infamous suggestion, he also received a visit from the Secret Service.
Black, who is currently a taxi driver, told Tampa Bay Times reporters that the men in black were waiting for him at his house while he taped an interview, but didn’t seem to understand why his tweet brought him the unwarranted attention from the president’s personal guards.
"It was not a threat," he insisted, telling reporters that it was merely an expression of his horror at the killing of U.S. citizens with drones without due process.
On Monday, Black became the focus of much attention for a tweet he sent out calling for the president to be hanged.
"I'm past impeachment," he tweeted, making a reference to others from his party who have called for the president to be removed from office. "It's time to arrest and hang him high."
When Twitter began to do what Twitter does and questioned the aspiring politician about his tweet, he stood firm by his declaration.
"This would be exactly what the President has done to others, and, as Jesus said, 'the measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again,' " he wrote on his Facebook wall. "I make no apologies for saying that the President is not above the People. If ordinary Americans should be executed for treason, so should he."
Black has since resigned from his post at the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee at the request of the county chairman, but he has all but ignored calls for him to withdraw from the congressional race, even from Gov. Rick Scott, who tweeted for him to step down.
"I do not take orders from the governor, I'm staying in the race," Black said.
Read more at the Tampa Bay Times.