Gregory Bovino and CBP agents patrol a Target in St. Paul, Minnesota.Adam Gray/AP
It all started when Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tweeted that “Gregory Bovino has to go.” Bovino—the erstwhile roving warlord atop President Donald Trump’s Border Patrol junta—had other ideas. And those ideas involved armed federal agents. And pie.
“Nah, gubner, too busy leading agents to arrest illegal aliens,” Bovino responded. “Besides, Chicago may need another double digit drop in a whole smorgasbord of violent crime, compliments of the Green Machine. Perhaps we could meet for a sugar-free slice of heirloom apple pie -on me!”
Bovino’s threat to launch a renewed Border Patrol occupation of Chicago, apparently as retribution for a politician criticizing him, was certainly news. And journalist Amanda Moore—who has spent months covering Bovino and federal law enforcement for Mother Jones and other outlets—quickly pointed that out.
What happened next was bizarre—and a bit creepy.
“Perhaps you could make the pie for us,” Bovino tweeted at Moore.
“Commander it would be my honor, just tell me where to go,” Moore responded.
“Most excellent,” Bovino wrote. “I’ll let the gubner know you’ll be taking care of his appetite, in a healthy way.”
Things got even weirder from there, with Bovino at one point writing, “I’d love to see you bustling around the gubner’s kitchen fixing us a pie.”
Moore asked for an interview. “Would love to also talk about all your accomplishments!!!” she wrote.
This time, Bovino didn’t respond.
