A Call For Probe Of Violence Against Health Care Backers

NU Online News Service, March 25, 3:40 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON–The ranking Republican on a House committee has called for hearings into reports of threats and violence against Democratic lawmakers who supported health care reform legislation.

In asking for the hearing, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said "I believe we must engage in a fact-based evaluation of these reports and examine them in the context of other threats, whether foreign and domestic."

He added that he was "deeply disturbed" over the threats, which included bricks thrown through district office windows and threats against lawmakers and their families, as well as, anti-Semitic notes, including one signed with a swastika, received in the district office of Rep. Anthony Wiener, D-N.Y.

"Those, however, who are frustrated, exasperated, and feel betrayed by members of Congress that voted for this legislation must register those feelings at the ballot box and not on the streets," he said.

But, taking his cue from the House Democratic leadership, Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., the chairman of the committee Rep. Issa sits on was noncommittal.

Jenny Thalheimer Rosenberg, Oversight and Government Reform Committee spokesperson, issued a statement, on behalf of Rep. Towns saying that the recent threats to the safety of numerous members of Congress and the Senate parliamentarian "raise real and unprecedented concern for our democracy, and potentially, our national security."

She said that he will look into possible action the Committee may take, but "strongly believes" that law enforcement must first investigate these threats and take appropriate action to protect the safety of public officials.

Her comment was made after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at her weekly press conference warned against letting some individuals who acted badly define the opposition

"All who participated in the free expression should not be painted with the same brush as those who have resorted to such unacceptable language and acts of vandalism," she said.

Rep. Pelosi underlined the importance of free expression and open debate. "That's the strength of our country," she added.

Her comments were made on a day that Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., accused Republicans on MSNBC of "aiding and abetting this kind of terrorism."

Ms. Pelosi said she doesn't "subscribe to the fact that these acts of vandalism sprang from any words of my colleagues."

At the same time, she said of the Republican leadership that "I believe that words have power. They weigh a ton."

She added that, "they are received differently by people depending on their, shall we say, emotional state, and we have to take responsibility for words that are said that we do not reject."

Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, House minority leader, also criticized the threats and violence at a press conference.

But, he declined to take responsibility for what occurred. "Listen, there have been a lot of words said in this political debate and many political debates in this institution over the last 220 years, but the fact is that this bill in my view is really going to harm our country," said Rep. Boehner.