An agency spokesperson said on Tuesday that the US Capitol Police investigated about 7,500 cases of potential threats against members of Congress in 2022.
That number is historically high, but slightly lower than in 2021, when there were 9,600, and 2020, when there were 8,600 potential threat cases against federal lawmakers.
The number of cases in 2021 was twice as high as in 2017.
“Threats to members of Congress remain very high,” said Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger. “This has led to a necessary expansion of not only our investigative capabilities, but our protection responsibilities as well. While this work continues, for everyone to continue to reduce violent political rhetoric across the country is the best way to keep everyone safe.”
Some high-profile threats and attacks against members of Congress have alarmed lawmakers in recent years.
In 2017, the representative of the Republican Party. Steve Scales was shot from Louisiana He was seriously injured while playing a congressional baseball game in Alexandria, Virginia, while surrounded by other lawmakers. Scales, who underwent extensive rehabilitation, survived, and is now the Republican House Majority Leader.
In October, Paul Pelosi, husband of then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, assault him at their San Francisco home by a suspect who yelled, “Where’s Nancy?” before assaulting Paul Pelosi with a sledgehammer.
In August, a 22-year-old man from Pennsylvania Admission of guilt Charged with threatening to shoot and kill Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.
In July, a 43-year-old man He was arrested and charged assaulted a member of Congress after he attempted to stab Republican Representative Lee Zelden in New York.
Shortly after January 6, 2021, House members wrote to their leaders saying they were “targets” and asking for more security.
The $1.7 trillion spending bill enacted in December includes insurance for House members. The law requires U.S. House of Representatives and Capitol Police “to enhance member protection including providing a security program for congressional leadership, expanding the services of the Personal Protection Division, and expanding the field office presence of the USCP,” which would deploy and expand Capitol Police protection to cities outside of Washington.
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