Joseph D. Morelle has fielded a torrent of calls in the days since one Minnesota legislator and her husband were shot and killed, and another and his wife were seriously injured.
The highest-ranking Democrat on the House Administration Committee said he’s been in touch with the Capitol Police and sergeant-at-arms, as well as members of Congress who are shaken by the events.
“I think people are concerned and there’s some anxiety,” Morelle said. “But I think they’re very grateful, as I am, for law enforcement.”
After a nearly two-day manhunt, suspect Vince Boulter was apprehended late Sunday night. It was a relief for lawmakers around the country, particularly those who learned their names may have appeared on lists connected to the alleged killer. They include prominent Democrats like Sens. Tina Smith of Minnesota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan postponed a scheduled town hall after her name surfaced, while Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio said he heard from Capitol Police over the weekend.
“On Sunday morning, Capitol Police contacted my office to inform me that the FBI had found my name among the evidence collected during the search for a suspect in Minnesota — who is accused of murdering and seriously injuring lawmakers,” Landsman said in a statement. “We are relieved the suspect has been arrested.”
But the fear and anger on Capitol Hill are far from over. The episode comes as law enforcement grapples with rising threats against members of Congress, and it’s reignited lingering questions about safety both at and away from the Capitol.
“I want to hear recommendations on improving security … but I think both with the president and his administration and with members of Congress, that we need to bring the temperature down,” Baldwin said Monday.
In the immediate aftermath, congressional leaders took several short-term steps. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer asked Capitol Police to increase security for Smith and fellow Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. On Tuesday all senators will receive a briefing from the sergeant-at-arms, he said. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., was also set to host a briefing for Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday.
Capitol Police on Monday announced internally that the Senate plaza, the area around the steps on the north side of the Capitol that many senators traverse to get to and from votes, would be closed to the public for as long as the Senate is in session this week.
And some rank-and-file members, who don’t have access to the same security details that congressional leaders get, are calling for change to better protect members when they are outside Washington.
“The reality is, Members of Congress are publicly identifiable at all times. Our addresses are posted online and the threats are constant,” Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett wrote in a draft letter to Morelle and House Administration Chair Bryan Steil obtained by Roll Call on Monday. “While we are grateful for the efforts of local law enforcement, the unique risks associated with serving in Congress require security beyond what is currently available.”
In the letter, Burchett calls on Morelle and Steil to “take all necessary steps” to broaden the acceptable use of Members’ Representational Allowance funds to include around-the-clock security services.
Steil, in a statement sent earlier Monday, condemned the violence and said he was “continuing to hear from my colleagues on their concerns and discuss ways to ensure the safety of members and their families.”
Morelle and Jeffries, D-N.Y., seconded Burchett’s call for increased MRA funds — which cover operational and office expenses for members of the House — in a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson.
Johnson, through a spokesperson, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“While we differ in many areas related to policy and our vision for America’s future, Member safety must be an area of common ground. Representatives from both sides of the aisle have endured assassination attempts that changed their lives and careers forever,” Morelle and Jeffries wrote. “We must act to protect each other and preserve this great American institution.”
The post Security concerns shake Congress in the wake of Minnesota slayings appeared first on Roll Call.
