A Brunswick County elected official and former candidate for statewide office was charged with threatening to kill state lawmakers over a proposed shrimp trawling ban.

Anthony Wayne Street, 44, was arrested Friday and charged with communicating threats to a legislative agent or court official. He made his first court appearance Monday in Brunswick and was being held on $25,000 bond, according to the State Bureau of Investigation.

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Street was the Republican nominee for state auditor in 2020, losing to incumbent Democrat Beth Wood by fewer than 100,000 votes. He ran for the Republican nomination to be state auditor in 2024, finishing fifth out of six candidates with 11.2% of the vote.

Social media posts from Street reportedly indicate he was upset over proposed legislation that would ban shrimp trawling in inland waters and within a half-mile of the shore.

In Facebook posts, purported to be from Street, he wrote “41 Senators in Raleigh need to understand what happened to Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman in Minnesota can happen here in North Carolina!” and “The commercial fishermen of N.C. pray God will bless Bill Rabon & the other 40 State Senators who have voted to end our way of life … be warned now you deserve to lose your lives!”

Hortman and Hoffman, both Minnesota lawmakers, were shot inside their homes on June 14.

WECT reported that the arrest warrant made reference to both Facebook posts. 

There are 50 senators in North Carolina. Forty-one, including Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brusnwick, voted for the trawling ban last week.

Street was appointed a public defender, whose law firm declined comment when reached by WRAL.

Critics said the trawling ban would destroy the shrimp business in the state and take down other related businesses such as fish processing plants. Opponents of the ban protested at the state legislature Tuesday morning. The measure must still pass the House.

The ban would only allow trawling more than a half-mile off the coast. Most boats that trawl in the sound are too small for off-shore fishing, critics of the ban contend.

Street's connection to the fishing industry is unknown. 

Street is a board member of the Brunswick Soil and Water Conservation District, WECT reported.