Kirk slaying prompts US lawmakers to confront an old adversary: Threats to their lives

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By Bo Erickson, Nolan D. McCaskill and David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Representative Rick Crawford was aware of the danger of political violence in the United States long before this week’s killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and he has his own coping strategy: a “keep-your-head-on-a-swivel type of an attitude.”

“I’ve always tried to maintain a high degree of situational awareness and be aware of what you’re walking into and understand what’s going on around you,” said Crawford, a 59-year-old former U.S. Army explosives technician.

Kirk’s shooting at an open-air event in Utah on Wednesday, which some lawmakers, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, are calling a political assassination, has sent shockwaves through the U.S. political firmament, prompting leaders on Capitol Hill to consider ramping up security, as both Republicans and Democrats have faced increasing threats in recent years.

Security concerns among members of Congress have been palpable since the 2011 attempted assassination of former Democratic Representative Gabby Giffords in Arizona and the 2017 near-fatal shooting of Republican Representative Steve Scalise. The drumbeat has continued through two assassination attempts last year on President Donald Trump, the June killing of Democratic Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband by a gunman who also tried to murder a state senator and his wife in Minnesota, and an arson attack on Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s family in April. 

“At this point, it’s not about the political stripe. This is about the emergence and uncorking of violence that we’re talking about. And it has absolutely gotten to a point where we need to really look to our leaders to lower the temperature,” said Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Representative Mike McCaul, who faced a death threat after addressing the 2016 Republican convention that first nominated Trump for president, said Johnson talked about toning down the political rhetoric during a prayer meeting in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, as lawmakers prepared to return to their home districts. 

“You always hear that, right? And then about a month or two later, everybody forgets,” McCaul said. In his own case, McCaul said a man was arrested by the FBI and charged with sending him a letter warning: “I’m going to fire a shot at you.” 

SECURITY COSTS HIGH

Johnson told reporters that congressional leaders are conducting a thorough security review to examine their options in light of Kirk’s killing. But he said providing full security details for each of the House’s 435 members would cost billions of dollars and require hiring an additional 5,000 U.S. Capitol Police officers. 

“Literally, that’s the estimate,” the Louisiana Republican said. “It’s not a possibility.” 

Senator Cynthia Lummis said lawmakers who make regular television appearances need extra security but added that several senators are paying for their own protection because office budgets do not cover the expense. 

“It unfortunately is regular,” the Wyoming Republican said of the threat situation. “It’s a very sad part of this job.”

House members have been concerned enough to take advantage of congressional reimbursements to beef up their home security and have added former law enforcement officials to their staff as a precaution. 

Some lawmakers said they were wary of discussing the threats they face or the steps they have taken to protect themselves and their families.  

“Making any comments about the types and nature of the threats that I get is not something I want to talk about,” said Republican Representative Mike Flood, who drew national attention over the summer by hosting contentious town hall meetings in his Nebraska district.  

Other lawmakers said security has been disappointing even when they have faced problems.

“Leadership has this protective bubble around them,” said Representative Tim Burchett, who said security was woefully lax when there was a bomb threat at his residence and more recently when he tussled on a Washington street corner with a protester. 

“How many death threats you got to get before they do something?” the Tennessee Republican said. 

Crawford, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, noted that security concerns in the current political environment affect more than just members of Congress or other politicians. 

“All Americans are probably asking: what do we do to maintain security and keep our families safe?” he said.

(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill, Bo Erickson, David Morgan and Richard Cowan; writing by David Morgan; editing by Scott Malone and Rod Nickel)