By Mara Klecker, Omaha World-Herald
Dr. Glenn Hurst had gotten used to the strings of almost unintelligible text messages — often sent late at night — from his longtime friend Robert William Simet of Omaha.
Hurst’s response to Simet’s paranoid thoughts and ideas was often “Bob, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” That was usually enough to end the rants.
But Simet, 64, was arrested Friday by FBI agents in Omaha and charged with threatening U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa.
(Omaha man arrested for making threats against Iowa Senator. Courtesy of 3 News Now and YouTube)
An arrest affidavit says employees of a Pacific Junction, Iowa, motorcycle shop told an FBI agent that Simet had been there Wednesday and made several statements about Ernst, including that he believed that she was a member of the Islamic State.
Simet said he knew that Ernst was scheduled to speak Saturday at an event at the motorcycle business.
Simet is accused of telling an employee that he “could kill” Ernst at the event, and telling another employee that “everyone in the government needs to be killed off.”
Hurst, a family physician in Minden, Iowa, said he’s known Simet for 20 years.
“I wasn’t surprised when I heard about what he said, but I know those threats weren’t based in reality,” Hurst said.
“I want people to know that he’s not a bad guy. He’s a sick guy.”
Simet was a “normal guy,” active in groups for recovering addicts, Hurst said. But about 10 or 15 years ago, Hurst said, Simet suffered a psychotic break, and “everything changed.”
Simet told Hurst that he’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was hearing voices.
Hurst said he plans to attend Ernst’s town hall meeting Monday in Harlan, Iowa, to share Simet’s story.
Hurst is on the executive committee for the activist group Indivisible Nebraskans and has been active in opposing efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
While he sees Simet’s story as an example that more is needed in mental health care, Hurst said, he hopes that his friend’s experiences aren’t politicized.
“What happened isn’t a Democrats versus Republicans issue,” Hurst said. “It’s about a sick individual with a good heart who needs help.”
Simet, who is being held without bail at the Pottawattamie County Jail, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on Friday.
He will be back at the federal courthouse in Council Bluffs on Tuesday at 11 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.
Simet’s federal public defender, Matt Lee Smart of Sioux City, Iowa, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Ernst’s office referred questions to U.S. Capitol Police, which said Friday that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
This report includes material from The Associated Press.
