Suspect accused of threatening House GOP leaders had ammo, gun receipts, affidavit says

The suspect was accused of leaving threatening messages for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, seen here.

A New York man accused of leaving threatening voicemail messages for two top House Republicans had 200 rounds of ammunition at his home, along with receipts for an assault rifle and handgun, according to an affidavit filed in federal court by U.S. Capitol Police.

Carlos Bayon, 63, was charged last week with leaving the messages for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.

The messages appeared to reference President Trump's immigration policy and included the warnings: "You are taking ours, we are taking yours."

According to the affidavit, filed Friday in federal court in Buffalo, investigators found 150 rounds of rifle ammunition and 50 rounds of shotgun shells. They also spotted a 2004 receipt for an SKS assault rifle and a 1987 receipt for a .38-caliber revolver but did not find any firearms, the document showed.

Authorities also said they found books in Bayon's home that included the titles "How to create a foolproof new identity," "Middle Eastern Terrorist Bomb Designs," and Silent But Deadly: homemade silencers."

The contents of the affidavit were first reported by NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune.

Scalise, 52, is the No. 3 House Republican leader and is considered a potential successor to retiring Speaker Paul Ryan. McMorris Rodgers is the House GOP's No. 4 leader.

Scalise was among five people wounded last year after a gunman attacked a Republican baseball practice. He was grievously injured and was hospitalized for more than a month. He now relies largely on crutches and an electric scooter to move around the Capitol. Capitol Police and other officers killed the gunman in that attack.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.