Some members of Congress have told their party leadership that they fear for their lives and that of their families, sources told CNN. And several members of Congress have taken new security measures, sources tell CNN.
The more they learn in news stories and online, the more they worry, according to various sources. There is a growing realization about the danger they were in, the sources said, especially as they see videos showing how coordinated the attack sometimes seemed.
A video of particular concern shows militiamen with their arms on each other’s shoulders, pushing each other in a row that hurls through a crowd entering the Capitol building, a convention source told CNN.
“Yes,” said Meijer on CNN when asked if he feared threats against him. “But I’m not going to let that influence my decision. I think if we give the killers a veto right, if we give the insurgents a veto, we lose something in this country, and I won’t let that happen again.”
Meijer has since added that he plans to buy body armor and was adjusting his daily routine to protect himself from death threats.
“It’s a shame we have to get that far, but you know, our expectation is that someone can try to kill us,” Meijer said on MSNBC on Thursday.
“I mean, just today, just this morning, one of my offices received a threat to my life. I have received other threats to my security. My address, a photo of my home where my family life was, was on a sort of dusty Facebook page. These are dark times. There is a tremendous amount of outrage and anger, “Johnson told PBS on Wednesday.” The reality is that I think that not just me, but all of my colleagues, we have to recognize that we may be in danger, but that we are still doing our job. must do.”
Johnson said the threats so far have come from supporters of President Donald Trump.
“In the past week, the preponderance of threats has come from the far right,” acknowledging that he has received threats from the left in the past.
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn projected safety concerns about the upcoming inauguration and told CNN on Wednesday that while he felt safe being at the Capitol that day, he wasn’t sure how safe he would feel on the inauguration day until he got more details.
“I feel safe today, I have no idea how I’ll feel on the 20th because I don’t know what they’re going to put on,” said Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat.
“It is a very sad comment that we have had to install metal detectors outside the House floor because colleagues can pose a threat to the safety and security of members,” a Democratic assistant told CNN.
Likewise, some Republican members were also uncomfortable about some of their caucus that are known to carry weapons, according to a GOP source.
According to a person familiar with security planning, several members of the House have inquired with private security firms about obtaining personal protection data in the wake of violence and threats against Congress.
In response to members’ growing concerns about their security, the House Administration Committee issued a letter earlier this week reminding them of what security measures could cost them and the process to improve their security protocols. Members can be reimbursed for purchasing a bulletproof vest, for hiring security personnel in certain cases or for taking their own security training, and for making a range of security enhancements in their district offices.
Questions about ‘insider’ help
As CNN previously reported, there are still more questions than answers as to whether the pro-Trump rioters had any help from within.
There is early evidence, as well as unverified allegations, that some GOP lawmakers were collaborating with some of the extremist conspiracy theorists who organized the rallies and could even have provided “reconnaissance” trips to rioters before the attack.
A group of Democratic lawmakers asked the US Capitol Police to investigate possible collaboration between members of Congress and the rioters who attacked the building.
Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who was captured in an iconic photo hiding in the House gallery during the attack, said on CNN Thursday that some lawmakers were giving tours, although tours have been banned since the pandemic began.
“We’re going to follow where the facts are leading us,” Crow said. ‘We’re not going to make assumptions. I can’t read minds. ‘
He also said he had “lost faith” in the US Capitol Police to protect him and other lawmakers from threats.
Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, one of the letter’s co-signers, confirmed to CNN that she saw groups of six to eight people in MAGA attire on tours. one or two days before the attack.
“I had seen a group of people in the corridors, in the tunnels, dressed in MAGA clothing,” Scanlon told CNN.
“I don’t know exactly what day it was, it was just surprising to see that happen because since Covid the building has been closed. There shouldn’t be any tours. So I kind of assumed it was a new member who rules the rules. or anything. But I mean, I can verify that it happened. There were people walking the halls, apparently accompanied by convention personnel. “
As the massive criminal investigation grows, this angle will be an intensive focus for the Justice Department and the FBI as they try to find out if lawmakers or staffers helped a conspiracy to attack the Capitol and stop electoral college proceedings. to disturb.
It’s not clear what future revelations Cheney was referring to, but she’s an affiliated lawmaker with connections all over Washington who would likely be able to gain insight into the investigation before things become clear to the public.
This story and headline were updated with additional developments on Friday.
CNN’s Ryan Nobles contributed to this report.