A lone-wolf extremist plotted a bloody, armed assault on the Texas State Capitol before SWAT cops and federal agents arrested him at his doorstep, authorities revealed Thursday.
Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was nabbed by Texas DPS SWAT officers at 3 a.m. Wednesday at his home in Converse, just outside San Antonio. Law enforcement swooped in after receiving a chilling tip that the suspect was planning to “shoot up” the statehouse in Austin.
Before his arrest, an unnerved friend of Caldera’s told investigators that Caldera had sent a chilling farewell message: “I love you, if you don’t see me again … I am going to the Capitol and I am going to shoot it up.”
“Arrest documents further state that Caldera told his friend that he was angry at AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and that ‘these people have to be exterminated,’” NBCDFW reported.
The suspect was initially slapped with a felony charge of making a terroristic threat against a public servant and held on a $75,000 bond. By Wednesday evening, Caldera was taken into federal custody. Records show this wasn’t his first run-in with law enforcement; he was previously arrested in 2023 for carrying an unlicensed firearm.
The suspect’s anti-AIPAC tirade shines a harsh spotlight on the relentless parade of political attacks aimed at the pro-Israel group. Pundits and politicians across the spectrum have turned the organization into a convenient scapegoat.
Far-Left Squad members like Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), along with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), have led a fierce smear campaign against the bipartisan group. House Democrats like Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin slammed AIPAC, while former endorsees like Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom loudly renounced its support.
The anti-AIPAC mania isn’t just from the Left; on the horseshoe Right, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has floated conspiracy theories and pushed a bill to force the group to register as a foreign agent, which was echoed by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
Federal filings show AIPAC’s lobbying budget is actually modest compared to major Washington players. AIPAC ranks 191st in federal lobbying spend in 2024 at $3.3 million, far behind tech juggernauts, oil giants, and even beer distributors. Foreign nations like China and Saudi Arabia outspend Israeli-related lobbying by massive margins.
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