Hoyt, 44, of Deer Park (a Cincinnati suburb), is now being detained and undergoing psychiatric evaluation in a federal medical facility in Massachusetts after being arrested and indicted for plotting to kill U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. According to federal court documents, Hoyt believed he was Jesus Christ and that Boehner was the devil and responsible for the Ebola virus.
Hoyt allegedly threatened to shoot Boehner, who is a member at Wetherington County Club, and poison his drink.
Court documents do indicate that two years ago, Hoyt was taken to West Chester Hospital after being “jumped” by several people. He received a psychiatric consult at the hospital and was prescribed medication, which he stopped taking after about six months, according to the court documents.
The general manager at Wetherington declined comment Wednesday, citing respect for the privacy of past and present employees and club members. But club members interviewed by this newspaper said they were shocked by Hoyt’s “spiral into such a dark, dark place.”
“You’d walk in and whatever your normal drink is, he sees you and gets it ready before you sit down at the bar,” Lang said of Hoyt.
Club member Darlene Todd described Hoyt as a “very congenial and very happy person.”
“I never really imagined that Mike would really ever do anything to hurt John,” Todd said. “It’s very concerning for all of us that live there in the community, and especially for us who live near the speaker. It’s just very concerning that there are people out there that want to do him harm.”
Hoyt told police during their investigation that Boehner was “mean” to him and that the speaker and others at Wetherington got him fired in late October.
But Lang said he never saw a negative interaction between Boehner and Hoyt and that all the members treat the staff there very well.
“Boehner took good care of the employees,” he said.
A few weeks after Hoyt was fired from the club, Lang said about 50 members received a typed letter in the mail from him. Lang described the letter, which detailed Hoyt’s concerns about why he was fired and problems with the club he could fix, as “incoherent.”
“This letter made no sense at all … I immediately thought, ‘This guy needs some help,’” said Lang.
Lang said the letter contained no threats and he doesn’t believe that Boehner’s life was ever in any real danger.
“If someone tried to poison a drink, which I don’t think Mike intended to do that, I have no doubt these guys (Boehner’s security staff) are watching all the time,” he said.
A ‘credible threat’ to Boehner’s security
But according to the affidavit by Capitol Police Special Agent Christopher Desrosiers, the Capitol Police — which provides Boehner’s personal protection detail — and the Cincinnati Federal Bureau of Investigations “believe Hoyt poses a current and ongoing credible threat to the West Chester Twp. Republican who was just re-elected to a third term as House Speaker.
Information about Boehner’s security is classified so it is unknown whether the Capitol Police have increased his security in light of this recent threat.
But Xavier political science professor Mack Mariani, who worked for former New York Congressman Bill Paxon in the early 1990s, said it’s hard to defend against someone who is allegedly mentally ill.
“It’s got to be a very difficult situation for those who are tasked with protecting members of Congress, because of the nature of job they can’t be isolated,” said Mariani.
Potential attacks are “a worry all the time” for high-profile people, he said.
“There are people who are troubled and people who have political agendas,” Mariani said. “The reality is members do give up their privacy, and there is a risk.”
While this is not the first time Boehner has been threatened — a 32-year-old New Castle, Ind. man was arrested this past spring after leaving a message on Boehner’s congressional website vowing to kill the West Chester Twp. Republican — Hoyt’s threat literally hits closer to home.
“Whenever you get any rumors or any hint of threat, you have to take them serious until you can see how credible they are,” said Richard Holzberger, a former Butler County Sheriff. “They may have to re-look at or rethink things in light of what this gentleman has allegedly threatened — that he could have poisoned his wine … . You have to take them seriously, and if it’s credible, and what’s the likelihood it would be carried out.”
Guns and mental illness
While state and federal laws do not allow someone with a history of mental illness to buy a gun, one local law enforcement official said he’s not surprised it happened and said it’s more common than people think.
Hoyt admitted to police that he had a .380 automatic handgun and an SKS, which is a rifle, in his home, according to court documents.
“If a person has not been formally identified as mentally deficient or mentally defective, then that’s not going to show up (in a background check),” said Lt. John Magill, of the Middletown Division of Police.
He said those records are usually “medical in nature,” and because of health privacy laws, they are not shared with police.
Magill said background checks are typically aimed at someone who has a criminal history. He believes laws need to change to allow government officials to know if someone has had a history of mental illness. A probate court and/or a medical professional are usually the ones who determine if someone suffers from a mental illness, he said.
“In a free society you have to understand there’s going to be some risk that’s involved,” Magill said.
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