Why it matters: Threats against lawmakers have skyrocketed in recent years, and many are still reeling from the violence of the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill. Driving the news: The House sergeant major announced plans to cover the cost of security upgrades in members’ homes, including $10,000 for equipment and installation costs and $150 a month for monitoring and maintenance.
The development comes just weeks after the arrest of a man who threatened Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) outside her home while armed with a handgun. Most recently, Rep. Lee Zeldin (RN.Y.), who is running for governor of New York, was attacked by a man wielding a sharp object at a campaign event.
What they’re saying: Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who chairs an appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Capitol Police, told Axios that “everyone is on high alert” after these incidents.
“The threats are real, the increases have been incredible,” he said. “We have to do everything we can to make sure people are safe. Lots of feral cats out there.” Ryan said Capitol Police and the sergeant-at-arms are doing enough to keep members safe “so far,” but added, “We still have a lot to do.” A Capitol Police spokesperson told Axios that they “cannot discuss what we can or cannot do to protect members.”
The flip side: Jayapal said she doesn’t think security officials are doing enough. “I think we need a lot more. And, you know, I’ve learned a lot from going through it myself,” she told Axios.
Jayapal said the sergeant-at-arms allocation is a “good step” but that there needs to be “a pool of money [for] when we face a serious threat to our homes.” After being threatened outside her home, she said, she received an appraisal that recommended $50,000-$60,000 for security upgrades. In addition, he said security officials should help clean members’ addresses from the Internet and improve their communication with members’ offices.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.), who has received multiple life threats, wants a fundamental overhaul of member security.
“If you’re on a certain committee, if you have one [leadership] title, your safety is already taken care of. But increasingly we have … excellent members, not just me, but many others, who are subject to increasing threats,” he told Axios. There should be “an assessment of the actual threat environment for each individual member,” he said. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, told Axios: “Zeldin almost got stabbed — a Capitol Police detail should have immediately gone to New York to protect him ».
The backdrop: Capitol security and law enforcement were not at risk for Thursday’s congressional baseball game, which has been the subject of violence in the past.
The event was targeted this year by climate protesters who vowed to “shut down” the game. In response, D.C. police stepped up security for the game, Capitol police urged protesters to stay away, and the House sergeant-at-arms sent a memo to offices assuring them that a “comprehensive security plan” was in place. The demonstration resulted in many arrests but no violence.
