Threats against members of Congress have more than doubled this year, the U.S. Capitol Police said Friday.
The agency reported a 107 percent increase in threats against lawmakers compared to 2020, adding that it is certain the number will continue to increase given “the unique threat environment we currently live in.”
Those revelations emerged after findings were released from an Office of Inspector General report that was conducted in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. NBC News has not obtained the report, the latest in a series of reviews about counter-surveillance and threat assessments in Congress conducted after a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an effort to prevent Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s victory.
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The report has not yet been released to the public, but details of the investigation are expected to be discussed on Monday during a House Administration hearing with Inspector General Michael Bolton.
Capitol Police shed light on some of the report’s contents on Friday, saying the Office of Inspector General “suggests the Department’s Threat Assessment Section be similar to the United States Secret Service.”
The agency said it is among the most meaningful recommendations included in the report because it is specific “to increasing threat assessment manpower and restructuring the Department to establish a stand-alone counter-surveillance entity — both of which require resources and authorization.”
The U.S. Secret Service, which has more than 100 agents and analysts, dealt with approximately 8,000 cases of threats last year, according to figures from the report. During the same time period, Capitol Police dealt with 9,000 cases. The agency only has about 30 agents and analysts.
About 800 individuals were involved in the Jan. 6 attack, the Justice Department estimates. More than 400 of them are now facing criminal charges, and arrests remain ongoing. Steven Sund, who led the police department at the time of the riot, resigned on Jan. 7.
Frank Thorp V contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
