Members of the Congressional Black Caucus said U.S. Capitol law enforcement is not moving quickly enough to provide security for Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who has received death threats following comments she made about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and President Trump’s critical tweet.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he has contacted federal investigators outside of the Capitol to try to coordinate with local law enforcement in Omar’s district so that she receives protection against the threats quickly.
“They have a fairly rigorous process they go through and sometimes that is time-consuming,” Thompson said of the U.S. Capitol Police, which is responsible for the security of House and Senate lawmakers.
Thompson has called for an immediate review of her security both in Washington as well as in Omar’s Minneapolis district, adding he is “concerned” Omar may not be getting timely and adequate protection against threats.
Thompson’s announcement comes a day after Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police are “conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family and her staff.”
Thompson joined a group of CBC lawmakers Monday to condemn President Trump’s tweet about Omar, in which he posted a video of the burning twin towers we well as Omar’s comments to a Muslim group last month characterizing the attack as “some people did something,” that caused Muslims to lose civil liberties.
Trump is traveling to the Twin Cities region on Monday to hold an event aimed at highlighting the GOP tax cut law. Federal and state taxes are due today.
“We should all watch what the president says,” CBC Chairwoman Karen Bass, D-Calif., said. “It would really be shameful if he was going to Minnesota to attack her. That is shocking.”
The CBC members called on Trump to take down the tweet and tone down his rhetoric, which Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., appeared to suggest “drove” a white nationalist in New Zealand to gun down 51 Muslims at two mosques last month.
“I’m not saying he is responsible, but it’s contributed to a very hostile atmosphere we are living in right now,” Carson said.
Omar, according to Bass, who has spoken to her, “is strong, she is determined, she is also concerned,” about her own safety.
“I think that is why it’s important the president stop this behavior, take down the tweet and also within Congress, we need to make sure she has the proper security. Not just here but at home.”