Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-28th District)
Window at Rep. Slaughter's Niagara Falls office damaged on 3/19/10
BUFFALO, NY - Representative Louise Slaughter (D-28th District) has reported three "alarming incidents" to authorities over the past week. All are connected to her support of the health care reform legislation.
Congresswoman Slaughter says someone threw a brick through a window at her Niagara Falls office, someone threw a brick through a window at Democratic Headquarters in Monroe County, and someone left a voice mail on an answering machine at her Buffalo campaign office.
The voicemail was most alarming to Slaughter, because it referenced snipers shooting the children of members of Congress who voted for the health care reform bill.
Speaking with 2 On Your Side Thursday, Slaughter said some leading Republicans, including Former Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, are inciting violence. Palin's Facebook page includes a campaign ad with crosshairs on a map signifying House Democrats who voted for the health care reform who live in districts that voted Republican in the 2008 presidential race.
Palin's Twitter page asks supporters to "RELOAD".
Slaughter said such actions not only incite violence but actually encourage it.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has condemned vandalism and threats of violence against members of Congress in
connection with the health care issue, saying such reprisals "must be rejected."
She told a news conference Thursday that "I don't want this to
be a distraction," but also said that such behavior has "no place
in a civil debate in our country."
On the House floor Thursday morning, GOP Congressman Mike Pence said passage of the bill that President Barack Obama signed into law earlier this week, is "no excuse for bigotry, threats or acts of vandalism."
Referring to a number of incidents, including threatening phone
calls and bricks thrown the windows of Democratic offices, Rep. Joseph Pitts said, "this is not the right way to respond." The
Pennsylvania Republican is a leading anti-abortion lawmaker.
Niagara Falls' Police Commissioner said he instructed all of his officers to keep a watchful eye over the district office and to investigate any suspicious activity.
2 On Your Side contacted the FBI. An agent says the bureau is investigating and will use all available resources to catch those behind the vandalism and threats.
WGRZ/NBC/ politico.com