CLOVERDALE, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man accused of threatening online to kill U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte has been arrested.

The Roanoke Times reports 38-year-old Christopher Michael McGowan was arrested Friday on a federal charge of transmitting a threat.

According to an FBI case summary, the Republican representative's office reported a December tweet connected to McGowan saying he was a veteran who'd arrest Goodlatte for being an "enemy combatant" if President Donald Trump were to fire special counsel Robert Mueller without being impeached. He wrote he'd kill Goodlatte if he resisted.

McGowan told police then he'd been drinking and didn't intend to hurt anyone. Police say McGowan reported drunkenly sending "aggressive" tweets Sunday, but more tweets followed during the week.

A police firearms sales database didn't list any gun purchases by McGowan during the past year.

It's unclear whether he has a lawyer.

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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com

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