Gabrielle Giffords

Brady Defends Proposed Law Banning Bullseyes On Politicians

Brian Beutler | January 10, 2011, 3:59PM

Rep. Bob Brady (D-PA) doesn't just think things like putting bullseyes on your political opponents is in poor taste. He thinks it should be illegal. In the wake of the Arizona shooting spree, he's introducing legislation to extend protections given to the President of the United States to members of Congress and others.

Predictably, he's taking a lot of heat for it. Though practically everybody has come down hard on Sarah Palin for her now infamous target list -- Palin herself took it off her PAC's website after the shooting -- it appears the Giffords attack had nothing to do with Palin or any particular piece of rhetoric.

But Brady's not backing down. Monday afternoon, he entered the lion's den -- Fox News -- to defend himself.

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Tea Party

A Kinder, Gentler (Or At Least More Self-Aware) Tea Party Movement

Evan McMorris-Santoro | April 12, 2010, 10:58AM

Tea Party function-goers

The battle for health care reform brought out both the best and the worst in the tea party movement, according to activists. On the plus side, the conservative insurgency showed it could dominate the political dialogue and influence decision-making on both sides of the aisle. Activists say that shows tea partiers are becoming wiser and more seasoned politically.

But the health care debate also exposed rifts and deep vulnerabilities with in the tea party movement that could stop its path toward mainstream acceptance. Violent rhetoric and racial overtones in protests spilled over into actual death threats, property damage and the hurling of slurs. Whether or not the suspects in those incidents are actually tea partiers, movement leaders seem worried that they play into progressive arguments that the tea parties are just a new wrapping on right-wing extremism.

Now, with the movement's annual Tax Day Tea Party approaching, tea parties are actively trying to show that the sterotypes aren't true -- one more aware of the limelight shining on it.

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Anti-Health Care Violence

Nooses And Broken Windows: A Week Of Threats And Vandalism

Rachel Slajda | March 26, 2010, 5:37PM

Clockwise, from top left: Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC), a broken window, the stage prop coffin used in the demonstration on Rep. Russ Carnahan's lawn, and Rep. Louise Slaughter

As the health care debate came to its conclusion this week, the high-running emotions of many finally crested, taking the form of threats and acts of vandalism at the offices of several lawmakers, most of them Democrats. Here, a roundup:

The FBI is investigating a severed gas line at the home of Rep. Tom Perriello's (D-VA) brother. A local tea party group had posted the brother's address online, thinking it was Perriello's and calling for a protest there.

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Republicans

Living Dangerously: Republicans' Most Incendiary Rhetoric on Health Care Reform

Rachel Slajda | March 26, 2010, 5:23PM

RNC Chairman Michael Steele, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK)

Yesterday, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor accused Democrats of exploiting threats against them for political gain and "dangerously fanning the flames" by suggesting Republicans were behind the anger and violent rhetoric of the right.

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Threats to Congress

Rep. Weiner's Office Sent 'White Powder And A Threatening Letter'

Christina Bellantoni | March 25, 2010, 4:05PM

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) said in a statement to reporters today that his Kew Gardens, New York office is closed until authorities complete their investigation into a suspicious package sent there. It's the latest in a string of incidents threatening members of Congress since health care reform passed over the weekend.

Weiner's statement:

Earlier today an envelope containing white powder and a threatening letter was delivered to my community office in Kew Gardens. The NYPD was immediately alerted and have responded appropriately by sending a Haz-Mat team. Any questions related to their response should be directed to the NYPD. My first priority is the safety of my staff and neighbors, and the authorities are currently taking steps to investigate and resolve the situation.

Threats to Congress

Dahlkemper Turns Over To Authorities 'Threatening' Letter Charging She Will 'Never Sleep Through Night'

Christina Bellantoni | March 25, 2010, 3:18PM

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper says she has received "threatening communication" she believes is tied to her vote in support of health care reform.

Dahlkemper released a statement to reporters today detailing multiple "emails, letters, faxes and phone calls that are threatening or menacing in nature as a result of my vote in favor of health care reform." She said her office hasn't been able to trace the senders of the messages and noted that while some are from Western Pennsylvania, she does not believe the majority of the messages are from her constituents.

The pro-life Democrat -- who agreed to support the legislation after Rep. Bart Stupak and leadership forged a compromise on an executive order handling abortion language with the White House -- said she has told authorities about a "threatening letter" sent to her Armstrong, Pa. district office on Tuesday.

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Eric Cantor

Cantor: It's The Democrats Who Are Fanning The Flames of Violence (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | March 25, 2010, 12:38PM

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor just gave a brief speech accusing Democrats of using reports of recent threats of violence for political gain, and saying someone shot a bullet through the window of his campaign office this week.

"I've received threats since I assumed elected office, not only because of my positions, but because I am Jewish," Cantor said. "I've never blamed anyone in this body for that. Period. Any suggestion that a leader in this body that would incite threats or acts against other members is akin to saying that I would endanger myself, my wife or my children."

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Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi Calls On GOP-ers To Condemn Threats

Rachel Slajda | March 25, 2010, 12:11PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

In her weekly press conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Republicans have a responsibility to condemn the threats against lawmakers.

Leadership, she said, has a responsibility to serve as "an example of how we express our differences and understand the impact that our words have on others. The best way to do that is to very clearly state that this is inappropriate."

"It's inappropriate for members of congress to stand up and cheer when these sentiments are expressed," she said, referring to an incident during Sunday's debate in the House when two tea partiers screamed "Kill the bill!" from the House gallery, to cheers from some Republicans. The protesters were removed from the gallery and arrested by Capitol Police.

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Health Care

Markey Got Threatening Phone Calls Before Vote

Rachel Slajda | March 25, 2010, 10:40AM

Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO)

Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO) says she received two threatening phone calls the day before she voted for the health care bill.

Markey announced she would switch from no to yes on Thursday. On Saturday, one of the callers told a staffer, "Better hope I don't run into you in a dark alley with a knife, a club or a gun."

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Bart Gordon

Right Wing Blogger: I Had Nothing To Do With Image of Noose Faxed to Stupak

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 25, 2010, 9:57AM

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)

Kevin "Coach" Collins, a right-wing blogger and former NYPD cop, told TPMDC that he didn't send Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) a threatening fax depicting a noose. A post from his blog, and his name, appears on the document, which arrived in Stupak's office yesterday.

Collins, who runs a blog on which he posted an entry that was reprinted on the Stupak fax (with the addition of the gallows imagery), says he sent Stupak something to protest his vote for health care reform, but the fax was not it.

"Here's what I sent: A hand written note saying I thought he would be in a tough reelection so I was sending him a donation of thirty dimes," he told me last night. "I included my name address my occupation and the fact that it was not corporate funds that I sent but my own money."

"If anyone wants to make an issue of this he or she will be barking up a tree with a nasty dog sitting in it's branches," Collins added.

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Health Care

Protesters Bring Coffin To Rep. Carnahan's Home

Christina Bellantoni | March 25, 2010, 9:10AM

Russ Carnahan (D-Mo)

Missouri press are reporting that Rep. Russ Carnahan's (D-MO) home was targeted by protesters with a coffin over the weekend after he voted in support of the health care reform bill.

Local television stations reported the coffin was brought to Carnahan's St. Louis home. KMOV posted an item suggesting that a Tea Party protest held at Carnahan's district office on Wednesday included a coffin.

A Carnahan spokesman this morning confirmed the account written by the Associated Press:

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Bart Stupak

Stupak Receives Threatening Fax With Drawing Of Noose

Rachel Slajda | March 24, 2010, 7:24PM

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) received a fax today with a drawing of a noose and gallows, labeled "Bart (SS) Stupak."

[RELATED STORY: Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), who is African-American, received a fax depicting a noose. Click for here full story.]

The fax also a included a printout of a post from a blog called the Collins Report, a screed against Stupak for voting for Health Care Reform. (There is no reason to believe that anyone connected to the Collins Report added the noose and gallows or sent the fax to Stupak's office. The person who runs The Collins Report did not immediately return a request for comment.)

You can see the fax here.

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Jim Clyburn

Clyburn Says Noose Depiction Faxed To His Office After HCR Vote (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 24, 2010, 7:16PM

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)

The right-wing protest movement that amped up during the final debate over the health care reform bill in the House has stepped up another notch, according to one of the most senior black lawmakers in the Congress.

[RELATED STORY: Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) received a drawing of a noose faxed to his congressional office. See the full story here.]

In an interview with CNN tonight, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) said that his office had received a fax that depicted a noose.

Clyburn told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the Republican leaders were partly to blame for the extremist rhetoric (and now imagery) that has been flying at Democratic members directly before and after the health care reform vote.

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Democrats

Amid Death Threats, Dem Rep Driehaus Points The Finger At GOP Leadership

Brian Beutler | March 24, 2010, 3:05PM

Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH)

In the wake of the passage of the health care bill, Democratic members of Congress are receiving death threats and implicit threats against their families. One of those members--pro-life Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH) who voted for final passage--has had to deal with more than his fair share. Last week, the anti-reform advocacy group the Committee to Rethink Reform published an ad in The Cincinnati Enquirer featuring a photo of Dreihaus with his children. (Both the Committee and the Enquirer have retracted and apologized for the ad.) Now, conservatives are planning a Sunday protest outside of his house, after a conservative blog put his address--complete with directions--on the Internet.

Speaking to me and another reporter outside the House chamber this afternoon, Driehaus said Republican leaders are to blame for the vitriol--and implied that they will bear some responsibility if reform opponents' anger bubbles over into violence.

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