Tea Party Getting Violent? 10 House Dems Report Threats, Vandalism

By: Carlin DeGuerin Miller
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS)

WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) Political pundits knew health care reform was going to upset critics and the "tea party" contingent, but they probably didn't expect things to get violent.

The Democratic leadership in Congress is decrying recent "acts of violence" against 10 House Democrats and one Republican, including one report of a cut gas line at the house of the brother of one member of Congress.

The most recent report came from US Rep. Harry Mitchell, AZ, whose spokesman, Adam Bozzi, said in a statement that the congressman received physical threats, including threats on his life, both before and after a vote on health care reform.

A brick was thrown through the window of the district office of Democratic Congresswoman Louise Slaughter in Niagara Falls, in upstate New York, while Bart Stupak, the conservative Democrat whose deal with the White House on abortion funding curbs provided the crucial last few votes for passage of the bill, reported getting calls from people wishing that he "bleed, get cancer and die."

Representative James Clyburn, the highest ranking black lawmaker, said he received a fax with an image of a noose.

Even the families of representatives aren't immune to the backlash, apparently. The Albemarle County Fire Marshal's Office and the FBI have concluded, in a joint statement, that a severed gas line outside of the house of Rep. Tom Perriello's (D-Va.) brother was "an act of vandalism." Perriello supported the overhaul measure and an activist involved in the "tea party" movement reportedly posted the brother's address on an internet forum - apparently thinking it was the congressman's - and urged angry opponents to pay him a visit.

House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, says he knows that people are angry but denounced the disturbing trend, saying, "Threats and violence should not be part of a political debate."

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by ranger2930 March 29, 2010 9:02 AM EDT: Wait Wait, Sarah Palin just said in Nevada that the media is making this up. "Stop making things up."; Reply to this comment

by random_radar March 28, 2010 1:25 PM EDT

Send agitators to join your opposition and do violent acts to make them look bad. Then you outlaw the opposition and send them to prison or kill them.

Mao did it, Stalin did it, Hitler did it.

The Tea Party people are idiots for not seeing that it will be done to them. America is a fascist state and anyone who does not goose step is going to get crushed under the boot of authoritarianism.

Stupid people talk about a free country. That is so 19th century.

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by thesevenveils March 28, 2010 1:55 PM EDT: Republican authoritarianism, started by president Lincoln, a Republican, who locked up the Maryland state government and prevented them from voting to succeed from the Union, and then invade and declare war against a sovereign fledgling nation, the Confederacy and allowing its Union soldiers to to rape pillage and burn civilians, something so brutal those acts were and are considered criminal. Only one other president has done something as near as despicable and that is President Bush and his war against Iraq.


by baileyccc March 28, 2010 1:09 PM EDT: This fringe clowns really need something to do. I hope they continue to guide the failed gop party to it total demise. posted by baileyccc; Reply to this comment


by wheresmycountry March 28, 2010 12:16 PM EDT: PJ O'Rourke once said that there's no such thing as a conservative protest because conservatives don't want to miss work. Now, thanks to the GOP policy of letting all our jobs be outsourced, there are enough jobless conservatives to put a nice little shoutfest together.; Reply to this comment


by dragon8me March 28, 2010 10:09 AM EDT: It was bound to happen. The tea party is full of hateful rascist people.; Reply to this comment


by erb0087 March 28, 2010 3:08 AM EDT: "Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent." ~ Einstein

Which is not to say that everyone who makes something bigger or more complex is a fool.; Reply to this comment


by erb0087 March 28, 2010 3:05 AM EDT: Silly Sarah Palin.

She clearly believes with all her heart in the Rush Limbaugh Mantra: "The vast, overwhelming majority of Americans are just outraged that this bill was passed."

Not so, says nonpartisan pollster Gallup.com.

"March 23, 2010

By Slim Margin, Americans Support Healthcare Bill's Passage"

http://www.gallup.com/poll/126929/Slim-Margin-Americans-Support-Healthcare-Bill-Passage.aspx; Reply to this comment


by hmmIwonder March 27, 2010 9:23 PM EDT: "Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent." ~ Einstein

Was he foreseeing Sarah's intention? You betcha!; Reply to this comment

by jayrh March 27, 2010 3:35 PM EDT

There is no violence! This a democratic stategy trying to villify the TEA party in the same way they've villified our industries, doctors and anyone else who stands in their way. It started at the rally at the capital when TEA party members were accused of saying the N word in a staged setup. Yet, no audio or video of this ever came out.

People, realize this for what it is! When the democrat party, as a whole, goes against the wishes of the American public, they have to either try to win them back or villify the opposition before the elections!

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by padgettba March 27, 2010 4:17 PM EDT: There is audio, there is video, the FBI is actually investigating the incidents. The only reason to deny this would be fear that it makes someone you support look bad. Don't fear the truth. The truth will set you free.


by jayrh March 27, 2010 6:57 PM EDT: padgettba, there is audio and video but none with the N word. This was after the congressmen in question tried to set up TEA partiers. They couldn't elicit the response they wanted so they had to make something up. Barney Frank did provoke a gay comment. That was his own doing though, after hurling the F word...

As for claims of violence, there is evidence of some threats and wrong doing. Nothing connecting this to TEA party members though.

You are right, the truth will set you free. It's probably union thugs trying to stir things up again.

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by lakota2012 March 27, 2010 3:07 PM EDT

Yep...well past time to round-up these radical and rabid teabaggin' fools that seem to have to resort to violence and their arrogant behavior towards other Americans. They are just another conservitard miNOrity fringe group with so much anger and hatred, that should be required to be contained in the old bushevik "free speech" zones.

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by jayrh March 27, 2010 3:45 PM EDT: Where is your proof lakota? Is this the same kind of thing that happened at the Washington rally, where TEA partiers were accused of yelling the N word? Yet no audio of video surfaced? Is this the same type of violence that happened when Denver's Democratic headquarters were vandalized by leftists in an attemp to blame Republicans?

I say it's just a strategy by the left and you'll for sure do your part!