SALT LAKE CITY -- A threat called into the Utah GOP office on South Temple in Downtown Salt Lake City on Friday has forced the party to close the office until election night.
The threat was directed at Utah GOP Chairman James Evans, coming a day after Evans claimed on national television that Bill Clinton fathered an illegitimate child with a prostitute.
Recorded as a voicemail, a male caller says, "you might want to tell that lying n----- James Evans that he's lucky he's not being lynched right now."
Evans said after a GOP office was fire bombed over the weekend in North Carolina, he decided to contact police about the threat.
“You don’t want to allow yourself to be a target,” Evans said.
Signs are posted outside the office saying it is closed due to security concerns. Evans said staff members are still working in other locations.
“This just reminds me of my, you know, being raised in the south. Once it gets to that level then generally I know what’s coming next,” Evans said.
Utah Democrats are taking their own safety precautions.
“We’ve reinstalled a security system,” said Lauren Littlefield, Executive Director for the Utah Democratic Party.
The security system was re-installed a month ago after a series of postcards, letters and threatening calls.
“The last message he left on my voicemail was that conservatives are going to win the war and if you have to die so be it,” Littlefield recalled.
Both parties have reported the threats to Salt Lake City police.
