Threats against members of Congress increased by 107 percent compared to last year, the United States Capitol Police said Friday.
“Provided the unique threat environment we currently live in, the Department is confident the number of cases will continue to increase,” they said in a statement on Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton’s latest report.
Their disclosure shows threats continue to rise against members of Congress. It comes as lawmakers debate additional funding to increase Capitol Police staffing and to address security needs in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot, including whether to install permanent fencing around the Capitol complex.
Some members of Congress have been harassed in airports and in public places. Others have spent thousands of dollars on security details and security systems to protect themselves. The Capitol Police themselves are stretched thin and understaffed after months of heightened security around the Capitol.
In their Friday statement, the Capitol Police note Bolton suggested their Threat Assessment Section be modeled after the United States Secret Service, which handles threats related to the White House. The Secret Service dealt with 8,000 cases in 2020 and had 100 agents and analysts, whereas the Capitol Police said they addressed about 9,000 cases and only had 30 agents and analysts.
Bolton is set to testify Monday before the House Administration Committee on counter-surveillance and threats to the Capitol complex. House Administration Committee Chair Zoe Lofgren said Bolton’s latest report “had identified troubling deficiencies” on a number of topics including the Capitol Police’s “threat assessment and counter-surveillance operations.”