After last weekend’s attacks on Minnesota state lawmakers, Democrats are grappling with whether they can continue public appearances as normal, especially as campaign season approaches.
But many House Democrats went ahead with town halls and other events during recess this week, including some of the lawmakers whose names were reportedly listed in documents tied to the alleged Minnesota shooter.
Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan told NOTUS that he had three scheduled visits to senior centers in his district on Saturday and went ahead with his plans despite the attack. The Detroit Police Department assigned him an escort that accompanied him to these engagements, Thanedar added.
“As a public servant, you’re always vulnerable,” Thanedar said, adding that he’s seen an uptick in personal threats since his effort to impeach President Donald Trump. “But that’s part of my job, and I have to stand up and do what I signed up to do.”
While some House Democrats changed their plans — Rep. Hillary Scholten, whose name was reportedly on the alleged shooter’s list, postponed a town hall scheduled for June 16 — many members maintained their planned events this week, albeit with a special eye on security.
“Right now, folks are trying to figure out, straight up, ‘How do we operate in this environment?’” said a source familiar with conversations among members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The source told NOTUS that Democratic groups on Capitol Hill are in talks with CBC members to figure out how they can provide them with security on an ongoing basis. There are also preemptive talks about how to ensure future campaign events are safe, this source added.
One congressional Democrat’s office said that while their security apparatus is still evolving, large outdoor events will proceed as scheduled with increased awareness and tight security. Another House Democrat’s office told NOTUS that there would be no changes to their town hall schedule this week and that their office will rely — as in the past — on its special assistant for homeland security and criminal justice coordination to handle security matters.
Other offices noted that they’re tapping into their local law enforcement’s resources. A spokesperson for Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández told NOTUS that the lawmaker will continue regular protocols at public events and will “continuously work with state, local, and Capitol Police to evaluate any security threats to our office.” (Fernández had police officers present at a town hall she hosted on Monday.)
“We remain committed to protecting the democratic practices that make our country stronger,” the spokesperson said. “We hope tensions deescalate. In the meantime, we will continue the work of democracy unafraid.”
Lawmakers are weighing whether more could be done broadly to protect their safety. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday urging him to increase funds to support additional safety and security measures. House Democrats spoke with law enforcement officials on Tuesday to explore resources available for additional security.
A spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee told NOTUS that the group will continue being a resource for candidates regarding safety on the campaign trail, along with raising awareness regarding the Federal Election Commission’s decision to “adopt rules allowing the use of campaign funds by both incumbents and non-incumbents for security-related expenditures.”
“As part of the DCCC’s regular work supporting campaigns, the organization has for years shared best practices and the latest information on what’s permissible regarding campaign resources allowed to be used to protect candidates, families and staff against threats of political violence,” the spokesperson said.
But as much as security is at the top of Democrats’ minds right now, it’s not an entirely novel topic. Many members have lived through violent political moments, including a shooting at the Congressional Baseball Game in 2017 and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
“I was an elected official when Gabby Giffords was shot,” Rep. Jennifer McClellan told NOTUS over text. “We have always been mindful of the potential for violence and planned accordingly, especially after the attack on Gerry Connolly’s district office.”
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Tinashe Chingarande is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.