Federal lawmakers told The Associated Press Monday that they are receiving threats over participating in former President Donald Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial, and Democrats are asking for the National Guard to remain in Washington, D.C., through the trial’s conclusion.
The AP reports that sources close to Congress are concerned about an uptick in threats, “including ominous chatter about killing legislators or attacking them outside of the U.S. Capitol.” There are also concerns that militia groups are plotting a second attack on the United States Capitol, similar to the one that took place on January 6th, even though other threats of riots have not materialized.
“Similar to those intercepted by investigators ahead of Biden’s inauguration, the threats that law enforcement agents are tracking vary in specificity and credibility, said the official, who had been briefed on the matter. Mainly posted online and in chat groups, the messages have included plots to attack members of Congress during travel to and from the Capitol complex during the trial, according to the official,” the AP reported.
Trump’s trial — the first of a president who is not in office — will begin around February 8th. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to deliver the article of impeachment to the Senate on Monday, and both parties are looking, it seems, to keep the trial schedule tight.
Republicans have largely resisted Democrats’ efforts to bring the case, which was decided before Trump left office on January 20th, to the Senate floor. Democrats have also been reticent to see the Senate process through, particularly given that the trial will interfere with President Joe Biden’s agenda, and it will take place at a crucial time in his presidency, within his first 100 days in office.
Security concerns are also heightened, leaving some legislators worried that a drawn-out trial could provide greater opportunity for a Capitol breach similar to the one that happened in early January when rioters, in an attempt to derail Electoral College certification, got within feet of federal legislators. Five people were killed in the attack and dozens more were injured.
In response to the incident, D.C. officials requested a National Guard presence for the Inauguration, and that presence has continued, with nearly 20,000 members of the National Guard still in the capital. Following reports that Guard members were forced to sleep in parking garages in near-freezing weather with access to a single bathroom, Republican governors ordered their troops back home, but 7,000 are expected to remain through at least early March.
“As we continue to work to meet the final post-inauguration requirements, the National Guard has been requested to continue supporting federal law enforcement agencies with 7,000 members and will draw down to 5,000 through mid-March,” the National Guard said in a statement to Business Insider. “We are providing assistance such as security, communications, medical evacuation, logistics, and safety support to state, district, and federal agencies.”
The deployment, some National Guard members believe, is open-ended.
“There is no defined situation or mission statement. … This is very unusual for any military mission,” one member told Politico. “We are usually given a situation, with defined mission perimeters, and at least a tentative plan on how to execute those objectives. Some don’t even know how long they’ll be here.”
One Guard member “confirmed that the troops had not been told of any specific threat, rather that federal authorities were concerned about the potential for continued unrest. Far-right militias remain the biggest cause for concern.”
Related: Thousands Of National Guard Troops To Remain In D.C. Through Mid-March