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Arvind Venkat says he will not be intimidated after being named in Pennsylvania threat case
Indian American lawmaker among additional legislators reportedly targeted in alleged threats against state officials
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Avani Acharya - Fri, 15, May 2026
- 13:37 EDT
- 43
Arvind Venkat / X
Arvind Venkat, an Indian American member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, said he will continue campaigning and serving his constituents after it became public that he was among the lawmakers who received terroristic threats from a local resident.
The statement came after authorities expanded the list of legislators allegedly named by Adam G. Berryhill, who was arrested in Lebanon County on charges related to making online terroristic threats.
Also Read: IA impact backs Arvind Venkat re-election
While state police initially identified 20 Democratic lawmakers as targets, subsequent communication to House Democrats indicated the number had grown to 36, with Venkat among the additional names.
Venkat, who represents parts of the Pittsburgh suburbs, said he was grateful to law enforcement for acting swiftly and credited bipartisan state leaders and the governor for improving how legislators are notified when they face credible threats. He stressed that political disagreement must never cross into intimidation or violence.
It’s now public that I was among those targeted by terroristic threats. I’ll continue to vigorously advocate for the values/policies on which I campaigned, work to unify our community & support candidates who deserve our trust. My statement & link below:https://t.co/DfYcH1Fmhs pic.twitter.com/gyPTuXnc3s
— Arvind Venkat, MD (@VenkatforPA) May 14, 2026
“We rightly will have disagreements. But in our representative democracy, advocacy must be peaceful,” Venkat said, adding that leaders must condemn calls for violence and reject tactics such as revealing private home addresses or other sensitive personal information about candidates.
Despite the threats, Venkat said he intends to continue campaigning ahead of Pennsylvania’s May 19 primary and November 3 general election, emphasizing outreach to both Democratic and Republican voters. He said his focus remains on presenting his record to constituents and supporting candidates who are committed to community service and problem-solving rather than division.
Venkat, a physician by profession, added that this was the first time he had faced such threats as either a candidate or elected official, but said the incident would not deter him from public service. He urged voters to stay engaged in the democratic process, research candidates carefully, and “make your voice heard peacefully, but loudly.”
The lawmaker, who is the first Indian American in the Pennsylvania State House, is vying for a third term in office after having previously won in 2022 and again in 2024.
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