Threats against members of Congress doubled in 2021, Capitol Police say

Some members of Congress have been harassed in airports and in public places. Others have spent thousands of dollars on security details and security systems to protect themselves. The Capitol Police themselves are stretched thin and understaffed after months of heightened security around the Capitol.

In their Friday statement, the Capitol Police note Bolton suggested their Threat Assessment Section be modeled after the United States Secret Service, which handles threats related to the White House. The Secret Service dealt with 8,000 cases in 2020 and had 100 agents and analysts, whereas the Capitol Police said they addressed about 9,000 cases and only had 30 agents and analysts.

Bolton is set to testify Monday before the House Administration Committee on counter-surveillance and threats to the Capitol complex. House Administration Committee Chair Zoe Lofgren said Bolton’s latest report “had identified troubling deficiencies” on a number of topics including the Capitol Police’s “threat assessment and counter-surveillance operations.”