Democrats threatened over health bill

25 Mar 2010, 10:13 am   -   Source: AAP
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Top Democratic US MPs called in police and the FBI after House members who voted for historic health care reform received violent threats.

Top Democratic US MPs on Wednesday called in police and the FBI after House members who voted for historic health care reform received violent threats and obscene, abusive messages.

Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said more than 10 Democratic MPs had reported incidents since Sunday's vote, some of which he described as "very serious" without giving details.

MPs stepped up their security, as one senior Democrat reported bricks had been thrown through the windows of her home district office.

Democratic Representative Bart Stupak, who brokered a deal clearing the way for some fellow anti-abortion MPs to vote for the legislation, received a fax with a noose and the caption "all Baby Killers come to unseemly ends Either by the hand of man or by the Hand of God".

Stupak's office also received a voicemail in which an irate man declares: "You baby-killing motherf***er. You turncoat son of a b**** piece of s***. I hope you bleed out your ass, get cancer and die."

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was investigating a reported incident of a gas line being cut at the home of one lawmaker's brother, and the US Capitol Police was briefing worried representatives on how to keep themselves and their families safe.

"We received information that the Congressman may have been threatened and that was the reason for us going to his brother's house, because it was related to us that he may have been targeted," the FBI said.

"Any member who feels themself at risk is getting attention from the proper authorities," said Hoyer. "That activity ought to be unacceptable in our democracy."

House Rules Committee Louise Slaughter said in a statement that someone threw a brick through the window of her district office and "a voice mail referencing snipers" was left on her campaign office voicemail.

"The US Capitol Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police departments are all aware of these incidents and are still investigating," she said in a statement.

The incidents occurred after demonstrators demanding MPs "kill the bill" reportedly spat on one black representative and called others racial slurs just outside the Capitol over the weekend.

Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner said many Americans were "angry" about the health law but underlined that "violence and threats are unacceptable. That's not the American way".

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