President Joe Biden, asked on Friday about recent bomb threats and swatting aimed at Democratic lawmakers and Trump Cabinet picks, said, “we’re working that hard with the FBI.”
Biden spoke to reporters while shopping in downtown Nantucket where he and his family are spending the holiday weekend.
The homes of multiple Democratic members of Congress in Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on Thanksgiving Day.
Reps. Joe Courtney, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes and John Larson all said their homes were targeted on Thursday.
“This morning, I was notified of a bomb threat targeting my home where I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my family,” Himes said in a statement. “Thankfully, after a swift and thorough response from the United States Capitol Police, the Greenwich Police Department and the Stamford Police Department, no evidence of a bomb was found.”
Hayes said in a statement she was notified by local police that it received a threatening email stating a pipe bomb had been placed in her mailbox at home. Police did not find any evidence of a pipe bomb in his mailbox and said there’s no place for political violence in the country.
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, Nov. 23, 2024.
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
“State police, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Sergeant at Arms were immediately notified. The Wolcott Police Department and State Police responded and no bomb or explosive materials were discovered and the scene was cleared. At this time the investigation is ongoing. I thank law enforcement for their swift attention to this matter, their actions demonstrate there is no place in our country for political violence.”
Local outlets in Connecticut reported that Larson and Courtney have received similar threats. ABC News has reached out for comment. A spokesperson for Connecticut Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy said his office also was targeted by a bomb threat.
Rhode Island Rep. Seth Magaziner released a statement on X on Friday that he was also a target of a bomb threat at his home in Rhode Island. Police found there was no evidence of a bomb.
“I was recently notified of a bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home. We are safe and there was no evidence of a bomb on the property. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Providence Police Department for their effective response.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement on Friday any threats of violence were “unacceptable.”
“Yesterday, during Thanksgiving celebrations, several Democratic Members of Congress, their families and law enforcement officials were targeted with violent threats,” Jeffries said. “These incidents ranged from detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting, all signed with ‘MAGA’ at the conclusion of the message. Thanks to the swift reaction from law enforcement, no devices were found and Members of Congress and their families were kept safe on the holiday.”
“House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from serving the people by violent threats. We have been in close communication with the Sergeant at Arms office and it is imperative that Congress provide maximum protection for all Members and their families moving forward,” Jeffries added.
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse was also the target of a bomb threat, according to a spokesperson.
“Senator Whitehouse received a similar bomb threat to the ones made against other Democrats on Thanksgiving, and he is grateful for the quick all-clear response by the Newport Police,” the spokesperson said.
Threats against multiple members of Connecticut congressional delegations come following several of Trump’s Cabinet picks receiving threats, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Pete Hegseth.
It’s unclear, though, if the threats against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks are connected to the threats against many of Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez and Caleigh Bartash contributed to this report.
