As they were getting ready to spend Thanksgiving, the majority of Connecticut’s congressional delegation and two from other states reported receiving bomb threats at their residences on Thursday. However, no devices were eventually discovered.
In written declarations, Democratic Representatives Jim Himes, Jahana Hayes, Joe Courtney, John Larson, and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut said they were the targets. Representatives Seth Magazine of Rhode Island and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts also did.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., was also targeted, according to his office, which verified this to NBC News. Murphy was threatened, according to a report from the local CBS affiliate earlier Thursday.
A surge of threats against politicians started earlier this week, and authorities said they are keeping tabs on it.
“We’re working that hard with the FBI,” President Joe Biden told reporters while he and his family were enjoying Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
According to a Murphy representative, the threat against the senator’s Hartford residence “appears to be part of a coordinated effort involving multiple members of Congress and public figures.”
According to a spokeswoman, the U.S. Capitol Police, which is tasked with protecting members, is investigating the issue but would not provide any details about possible culprits or motivations.
“We work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners whenever a Member of Congress is the victim of a swatting incident,” agency spokesperson Brianna Burch stated. We are unable to disclose further information at this time in order to safeguard ongoing investigations and reduce the possibility of copycats.
In addition, Larson made reference to the threats when he said in a statement that he was “grateful that my colleagues in the Connecticut Congressional Delegation, who received similar threats, are also safe.”
The police informed Hayessaid on X that “they received a threatening email stating a pipe bomb had been placed in the mailbox at my home” on Thursday morning. According to Hayes, neither state nor local police discovered any “explosive materials” or bombs.
She went on, “At this time the investigation is ongoing,” “I thank law enforcement for their swift attention to this matter, their actions demonstrate there is no place in our country for political violence.”
Himes also claimed in a statement on X that he was informed Thursday morning that his house was the target of a bomb threat, but that police had discovered “no evidence of a bomb.”
In addition to thanking law officers, Himessaidin stated, “There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope that we may all continue through the holiday season with peace and civility.”
Courtney and his wife, Audrey Courtney, “extend their utmost gratitude to the law enforcement officers, whose response should signal to perpetrators that these types of threats will not be tolerated,” according to a statement sent by Courtney’s spokesman.
DeLauros stated on X that New Haven police concluded there was no bomb when she got a threat resembling that of her coworkers.
“I am grateful for local, state, and federal law enforcements efforts to keep me, my colleagues, and our community safe today,” she stated.
No details on the probe were made public by the FBI, which stated that it is “working with our state and local partners on these matters.”
A request for additional details regarding the events was forwarded by Connecticut State Police to the local police agencies that were the primary investigators of each threat.
Following Courtney’s threat, the Vernon Police Department issued a statement stating that “the incident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time.”
Although a suspect has not been named, Wolcott Police Chief Edward Stephens, whose department handled the threat against Hayes, told NBC News that the department is trying to track down the email that was used to deliver the threat. According to Stephens, his department is working with other agencies, including the state police.
Requests for comment were not immediately answered by other local police departments that responded to the occurrences.
In January, Capitol Police reported that it looked into over 8,000 instances of threats against members of Congress in the previous year, including “concerning statements and direct threats.”
Compared to the previous year, when the agency looked at over 7,500 threats, the number was higher. We do not yet have the final 2024 numbers.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, a number of people in President-elect Donald Trump’s intended administration received bomb and “swatting” threats.
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