Skagit Valley man who threatened members of Congress sentenced in federal court

A Skagit County man has been sentenced to six months in prison in federal court for threatening to kill two U.S. Representatives and their staffs.

Bradley Whaley, 67, of Burlington repeatedly called a representative’s office in Washington, D.C. in March 2025, according to court records obtained by The Bellingham Herald. The representative’s identity was confirmed to reporters at the time as Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican who represents Washington’s 4th congressional district. The district includes Yakima and the Tri-Cities.

In one call, Whaley told a staffer that he would drive to D.C., “kick down your door” and attack Newhouse and his staff. He also said he would do the same to another U.S. representative who has not been identified.

Whaley called that second representative March 15 to threaten them directly. A transcript of the call in court documents suggests that the representative is in eastern Washington.

In the final call placed before his arrest, Whaley said he would go to Newhouse’s office and “slit his throat.”

Whaley was taken into custody March 21 in Seattle, and officers found a loaded handgun in his vehicle’s center console. He pleaded guilty as charged Oct. 31 to interstate communication of a threat.

In their sentencing memorandum, prosecutors asked for Whaley to spend a year and a day in prison.

“Such threats intimidate individuals and discourage them from running for office, working for the public sector, and even participating in government at the most basic level,” they wrote. “Such threats undermine the democratic process.”

Prosecutors also noted that there has been an increase in threats against members of Congress, their families and their staffs. About 14,000 such cases were investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police last year, according to court records.

Whaley’s attorney said that he was “highly intoxicated” when he made the calls, court documents state, and has since completed substance abuse treatment. He said that because Whaley introduced himself in each call, there was a “lack of awareness about how seriously the calls would be taken and the consequences that could result.” He said it also indicated that Whaley did not consider them as serious threats.

A federal judge ultimately sentenced Whaley to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.