Lawmakers move to increase their security after Kirk killing
The murder of Charlie Kirk continues to send undulations through Washington, while legislators through the political spectrum move to increase their own security.
Kirk, an eminent right-wing activist and supporter of the president of President Trump, was fatally killed earlier this month when he speaks during an event on campus at the University of Utah Valley.
The shocking murder, described by the governor of Utah, Spencer Cox as a “political assassination”, shaken the legislators on both sides of the aisle, intensifying the fears of security in the midst of a political climate marked by frequent threats and increasing calls for violence.
On Thursday, the Senate enlightened a measure allowing senators to use official office funds for safety purposes. The house also puts pressure on an increase in safety funding.
Friday, the government’s financing bill, approved by the lower chamber, would provide around $ 88 million to improve the security of the legislators, members of the Supreme Court and managers of the branches.
“Congress members receive much less security than many local officials at home or judges,” said representative Greg Casar, Democrat in Texas. “Often we were the least safe.”
While senior executive officials have security details, basic legislators often travel without protection when they are far from Capitol Hill, who is patrolled by the American Capitol. Some members of the Congress even cover their own security costs from private funds or campaign.
“Political violence is supposed to silence us. And we cannot be silenced for democracy,” said Casar. “And therefore, providing a certain level of security and security to our members, I think, is essential.”
“We need this,” said representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida. “The fact that it was necessary for it to be addressed even to this is crazy for me, but it must be treated.”
The growing security crisis – which has made the front page of the first -page newspapers in recent months after the murder of Kirk and the murder of the minnesota state representative, Melissa Hortman, Democrat, and her husband in June – has been receiving for some time, according to officials.
According to US Capitolian police, the number of threat evaluation cases has increased regularly over the past four years. Last year, the Department followed more than 9,000 cases, a figure which should jump by more than 50% to around 14,000 this year.
With news feed services
