2 Connolly staffers assaulted in his Fairfax, Va. workplace: What we all know
Two workers members who work for Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., have been hospitalized with non-life-threatening accidents after being assaulted within the congressman’s district workplace Monday morning, in accordance with Connolly.
A person with a baseball bat entered Connolly’s workplace and requested for the lawmaker earlier than “committing an act of violence” in opposition to the 2 workers members, Connolly said in a statement released this afternoon.
“I’ve the perfect group in Congress,” Connolly added. “The thought that somebody would reap the benefits of my workers’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating.”
The suspect is in police custody.
Connolly instructed CNN that the attacker hit a senior aide within the head with the metallic bat in addition to an intern, who was on her first day of the job, within the facet with the bat.
“He was crammed with out-of-control rage,” Connolly instructed CNN, including that the assailant additionally broken the workplace, shattering glass in a convention room and breaking computer systems.
Threats enhance
The assault in Connolly’s workplace is the newest of a number of latest acts of political violence amongst threats to members of Congress, their staffs and households.
In October, Paul Pelosi, husband of then-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was hospitalized and had a number of surgical procedures after being attacked with a hammer. An assailant broke into the couple’s San Francisco house, searching for the lawmaker earlier than attacking Paul Pelosi.
In March, a member of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s workers was “randomly and brutally attacked” in Washington, D.C.
Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was assaulted in her Washington house constructing in February, struggling solely bruises from the assault. There was no proof that the assault was politically motivated, in accordance with Craig’s chief of workers.
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The number of threats against members of Congress have more than doubled in the last five years. Whereas the variety of menace investigations dipped barely in 2022 from the 12 months earlier than, the caseload stays traditionally excessive, according to the U.S. Capitol Police.
“The threats in opposition to Members of Congress are nonetheless too excessive,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement. “This has resulted in a mandatory growth of, not solely our investigative capabilities, however our safety tasks as properly. Whereas that work is ongoing, everybody persevering with to lower violent political rhetoric throughout the nation is one of the best ways to maintain everybody protected.”
‘Very, very scary’
Connolly’s fellow lawmakers from Virginia and bipartisan members of Congress shortly condemned the assault and shared greatest needs with the staffers.
Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer referred to as the occasion “very, very scary” whereas Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger tweeted she was horrified by the information.
“I am considering of their group and I am glad to listen to that neither group member sustained life-threatening accidents,” she tweeted.
Virginia Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine additionally tweeted concerning the incident, with Warner calling the assault “a very distributing improvement” and Kaine calling it “horrific.”
“Intimidation and violence- particularly in opposition to public servants- has no place in our society,” Warner mentioned.
Throughout the aisle, Republican Rep. Mark Inexperienced of Tennessee tweeted in response that “acts of violence can’t be tolerated.”
Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal mentioned that “violence is unacceptable.”
“We now have to be clear that violence and hate are fueled by excessive MAGA proper,” she tweeted.
Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries mentioned he spoke with Connolly after the assault and has requested the Home Sergeant at Arms and U.S. Capitol Police to proceed to collaborate with members for his or her security.
“The security of our members and of our workers stays of paramount significance, significantly given the elevated situations of political violence in our nation,” he mentioned in an announcement.
That is breaking information, and this story is being up to date.