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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 30 January 2021
Police tighten Congress security in era of rising threats

threaten the lives of the ongoing security threats for security for themselves
McCloskey's." from the same domestic and their offices, and said
Last summer, Bush was terror groups that attacked a Federal Election Commis-
among marchers on whom the Capitol," 32 House sion opinion lets them use
Mark and Patricia Mc- members, nearly all Dem- campaign funds for home
Closkey drew firearms in a ocrats, wrote to congres- security systems.
video that went viral. She is sional leaders this week. The acting chief of the
now one of Congress' most Five people died in the Capitol Police, Yogananda
progressive members, and attack, including a Capi- D. Pittman, said this week
has sponsored a measure tol Police officer, and the that "vast improvements"
that could lead to expul- House impeached Trump are needed to protect the
sion for lawmakers who on a charge of inciting in- Capitol and adjacent of-
— like Greene — backed surrection. fice buildings, including
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks at a news Trump's unjustified effort to The House lawmakers' let- permanent fencing. Since
conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 28, reverse his November elec- ter said while 902 threats Jan. 6, the Capitol has
2021. tion defeat. against members of Con- been surrounded by a tall
Associated Press Greene has drawn fire from gress were investigated in barrier and the grounds
Continued from Front floor and have threatened Democrats and some Re- 2016, the number surged are patrolled by National
violence on other members publicans for past social to 4,894 cases in 2018 and Guard troops.
The animosity lawmakers of Congress." media posts reported by was tracking upward, ac- Many lawmakers have long
face has spread among In the latest instance of various news organizations cording to Capitol Police resisted giving the nation's
themselves, with numer- Capitol Hill's spiraling per- in which she's suggested testimony in 2019. symbol of democracy the
ous Democrats saying sonal hostility, Rep. Cori support for killing Demo- Limited local police re- look of a besieged com-
they are wary of GOP col- Bush, D-Mo., tweeted Fri- cratic politicians, unfound- sources and social media pound, and leaders were
leagues who've said they day that she was moving ed QAnon theories and strewn with personal infor- noncommittal about per-
carry guns in Washington. her office away from that racist views. mation and their real-time manent fencing.
Republicans have bristled of fellow freshman Rep. Congress' 535 members locations make lawmakers President Joe Biden is in
at new screening devices Marjorie Taylor Greene, travel frequently between more vulnerable when they "close touch" with Pelosi
installed by House Speaker R-Ga., "for my team's safe- their homes and the capi- are home, their letter said. about congressional secu-
Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that ty." Bush wrote that a mask- tal, and many have said The House members asked rity, White House press sec-
lawmakers are required to less Greene and her staff they feel vulnerable in their for tightened security pro- retary Jen Psaki said.
pass through when enter- "berated me in a hallway," districts and when they cedures. Pelosi told report- Trump backers smashed
ing the House chamber, but did not specify why she travel. Videos have shown ers that some steps have their way into the U.S. Capi-
where carrying firearms is felt unsafe. people insulting lawmakers already been taken and tol after a morning speech
not allowed. Greene responded with at airports, including Re- that she'll likely seek money in which he urged them to
"The enemy is within the a tweet of her own, say- publican Sen. Mitt Romney to bolster safety. go there as Congress for-
House of Representatives," ing, "She is lying to you. She of Utah, who has criticized Members have been told mally affirmed Joe Biden's
Pelosi told reporters this berated me." Greene also Trump. they can use their office ex- election victory. That riot
week in a chilling charac- called Bush, who is Black, The Jan. 6 Capitol riot "re- penses to buy bullet-proof left five people dead and
terization of Congress' in- "the leader of the St. Louis minds us of the grim reality vests, which several have prompted the House to im-
ternal tensions. She cited Black Lives Matter terrorist that members of Congress said they are wearing. peach him for inciting insur-
"members of Congress who mob who trespassed into are high-profile public of- Blodgett's letter said they rection, for which he faces
want to bring guns on the a gated neighborhood to ficials, and therefore face can use those accounts a Senate trial in February.q

FBI: Pipe bombs at RNC, DNC were planted night before riot

By MICHAEL BALSAMO gators have been worried with end caps and wiring
Associated Press about the potential for at- that appeared to be at-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two tacks on soft targets in the tached to a timer, two law
pipe bombs left at the of- nation’s capital. enforcement officials fa-
fices of the Republican U.S. Capitol Police and miliar with the matter have
and Democratic national agents from the FBI and told The Associated Press.
committees, discovered Bureau of Alcohol, To- Investigators are still exam-
just before thousands of bacco, Firearms and ining the devices and their
pro-Trump rioters stormed Explosives were called components to determine
the U.S. Capitol, were ac- to the Republican Na- the specific compounds
tually placed the night be- tional Committee’s office inside the pipe bombs,
fore, federal officials said around 12:45 p.m. on Jan. but they both appeared
Friday. The FBI said the in- 6. About 30 minutes later, to contain an unknown
vestigation had revealed as the agents and bomb powder and some metal,
new information, including In this June 14, 2018, file photo, the FBI seal is seen before a technicians were still in- the officials said. The FBI
that the explosive devices news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington. vestigating at the RNC, released additional pho-
were placed outside the Associated Press another call came in for a tos of the explosive devic-
two buildings between means the pipe bombs particularly concerning for second, similar explosive es on Friday, including a
7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on were unrelated to the next law enforcement as offi- device found at the Dem- photograph that showed
Jan. 5, the night before the day’s riot or were part of cials step up security prep- ocratic National Commit- one of the devices placed
riot. The devices were not the riot planning. Both arations ahead of the Sen- tee headquarters nearby. underneath a bush. Offi-
located by law enforce- buildings are within a few ate’s impeachment trial of The two explosive devices cials have also increased
ment until the next day. blocks of the Capitol. former President Donald were very similar, and both the reward in the case to
It is not clear whether that The incident has been Trump. For weeks, investi- were about a foot long $100,000. q