Top Democratic leaders in Congress are calling for increased security funding for lawmakers following recent shootings that killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
In a letter sent June 16 to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and House Administration Committee Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y) urged immediate action to strengthen member safety. They pointed to the attack as part of a growing trend of threats and violence against elected officials.
“These shootings were not isolated incidents,” the lawmakers wrote. “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.”…