Wallace Grove Godwin, 69 of Virginia Beach was arrested today on charges of threatening to murder and assault a member of Congress. The US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said Godwin, angry after a discussion Thursday with Rep. Scott Taylor about marijuana policy told a staff member he’d show up to a Saturday Taylor event with a shotgun and “do something about this.”
Godwin is being charged with threatening to murder and assault a United States official, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted.
It turns out, Godwin filed a lawsuit against the federal government in May of 2017 for $500 million because he said it was not enforcing federal marijuana laws.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Godwin Met Taylor to Talk About Marijuana Laws But Became ‘Frustrated’ & Threatened to Kill the Congressman & His Staff
According to the US Attorney’s office, court documents, Godwin visited Taylor’s Virginia Beach office and, “after apparently becoming frustrated during a discussion about marijuana policy,” told members of Taylor’s staff, that “Scott is having an event this Saturday. I am going to get my shotgun and do something about this. I will just handle this myself.”
The US Attorney’s office statement said Godwin then “pointed at two staffers in the room and stated, ‘You two are next.'”
2. Godwin Has Confronted Taylor Before
According to court documents, the statement read, these recent threats follow two aggressive interactions that Godwin had in 2017, one in which Godwin visited Congressman Taylor’s private residence and interacted directly with Congressman Taylor outside his home.
The probable cause affidavit states that in 2017 Godwin went to Taylor’s home and blocked Taylor‘s car with his own vehicle and waited for Taylor to come out of his house. When Taylor emerged he told Godwin to move his vehicle. Godwin didn’t and instead, got out of his car to talk about pot laws with Taylor. Taylor again told Godwin to move his car and leave. Godwin then complied.
During another incident Godwin visited the Virginia Beach office and yelled at congressional staff members.
Godwin was scheduled to appear in federal court Norfolk today.
The charge of threatening to murder and assault a United States official is punishable, upon conviction, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
But the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia noted that “actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”
3. Godwin Sued the US Government Last Year for $500 Million For Not Enforcing Federal Marijuana Laws
Federal court records show Godwin filed a lawsuit in May of 2017 alleging the U.S. federal government is not “enforcing CSA 21 U.S.C. 811,” or what’s known more colloquially as the Federal Marijuana Law. Godwin filed a civil complaint against the government for $500 million because it has failed, Godwin said, to overrule state medical and recreational marijuana laws which he believes are superseded by federal law.
In his complaint filed in US District Court, Godwin attached a short statement:
“Know your facts! I am a natural born conservative. Read the Federal law on marijuana. President Nixon ignored the Federal law on marijuana. Marijuana has been altering the minds of the American people since the early 60’s. Check my facts! This is the FACT!”
4. Taylor Was Sworn in as Congressman for Virginia’s Second District in 2017
In 2013, Taylor became a member of the House of Delegates, where he represented the 85th District which is principally the Kempsville and Town Center area in Virginia Beach. With the help of his GI Bill, Scott earned a degree in International Relations from Harvard University Extension and is currently pursuing his masters in the same field. He holds a Master’s Certificate in Government Contracting at Old Dominion University.
In January, 2017, Taylor was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives as Congressman for Virginia’s Second District. He is the first freshman member from Virginia to ever be appointed to the Appropriations Committee for a full term, his bio reads.
As a Member of Congress, one of Taylor’s primary goals is to give his constituents a voice on the House Appropriations Committee, which oversees federal expenditures. As a combat veteran, Taylor is working to ensure veterans and their families are taken care of, our economy continues to improve, and national security remains a top priority, his website reads.
5. Taylor, a Former Navy Seal, Honored Naval Aviators Killed in Jet Crash
“I was humbled to join Rep. Carlos Curbelo and my colleagues in the House to honor and give a moment of silence for Lt. Cmdr. Johnson and Lt. King, who were stationed at Oceana Naval Base. Rest easy now, boys.”
Taylor enlisted in the Navy after college and joined the Navy SEALS. After completing the six-month BUD/S training course in Coronado, California, he was assigned to SEAL Team 4 and served in the United States and Latin America, where he developed a fluency in Spanish, his website reads.
After 9/11, Taylor chose to re-enlist and in 2005 was sent to Baghdad and Ramadi as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he served as a Navy SEAL sniper. While on a combat mission, he was severely injured and was Medevac’d out of Iraq to Germany, then eventually back to the States, according to his bio.