Lawmakers Demand Additional Taxpayer Funding for Security Measures Following Assassination of Minnesota Politician

Following the assassination of a former speaker of the Minnesota house of representatives, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are understandably on edge. Some are now demanding that they be allowed to use additional taxpayer dollars for personal security. In a letter to Speaker Johnson sent on Monday, the minority leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, and the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, Congressman Joe Morelle, say the speaker should allow the use of office expenditure funds to pay for security. Currently, lawmakers are only allowed to use the funds for official events such as town halls or speaking engagements. They are not allowed to use taxpayer money for at-home security or 24-hour protection. “These shootings were not isolated incidents,” Messrs. Jeffries and Morelle write to Mr. Johnson. They referred to the killing of a former Minnesota house speaker, Melissa Hortman, and her husband. A state senator, Joe Hoffman, and his wife Yvette were also targeted and shot at their home, though they are expected to survive. “Credible threats and acts of political violence have increased significantly over the last decade. Threats against Members of Congress have grown by nearly 1,000 percent since 2016,” the Democratic leaders write to Mr. Johnson. Law enforcement officials disclosed on Monday that several other lawmakers were on the alleged killer’s “hit list,” including multiple members of Congress. “We strongly urge you to immediately direct the Sergeant at Arms to take all necessary steps to protect House members throughout the country,” Messrs. Jeffries and Morelle say. “It is imperative that we substantially increase the Member Representational Allowance (MRA) to support additional safety and security measures in every single office.”Some Republican senators on Monday said they were open to such a proposal. “There are members that deserve extra security,” Senator Lummis says. “And they shouldn’t have to pay for it out of their own pocketbooks.”“I’m so glad to hear that’s being discussed,” she added. Senator Hoeven said he, too, would welcome a discussion about increasing the use of taxpayer dollars for members’ security, though he pointed out that lawmakers can also use campaign funds for some of those measures in specific circumstances. “I’ll listen to what they have to say, but, you know, we do have the dollars we raise, and can use those if we feel we need more security,” Mr. Hoeven said. The only problem with using campaign funds for that kind of security assistance is that members must actively be facing threats or security risks as a result of their jobs as public officials. The Federal Election Commission finalized a new rule last year stating that campaign funds can be dispersed for security in order to “address ongoing dangers or threats that would not exist irrespective of the individual’s status or duties as a federal candidate or officeholder.”The FEC states that campaign funds can be used for “non-structural security devices; structural security devices; security personnel and services; and cybersecurity software, devices, and services.”All senators will gather for a private briefing on Tuesday to hear from Capitol Police about additional security measures that are being implemented. Senator Klobuchar and Senator Smith are already receiving additional protection from the Capitol Police at the request of Senator Schumer. Ms. Smith was included on the Minnesota assassin’s hit list.

Lawmakers Demand Additional Taxpayer Funding for Security Measures Following Assassination of Minnesota Politician

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