Was Rep. Tom Perriello targeted for his vote on healthcare bill?
Democrats have reported 10 incidents of threats and violence against members who voted for the healthcare bill Sunday. It is so far unclear whether the gas line at Rep. Tom Perriello's brother's house was cut as an attempt at revenge.
Tom Perriello (D) of Virginia addresses a mostly pro-heathcare crowd during a town hall meeting at the Fluvanna Middle School in this Aug. 17, 2009, photo. The FBI is investigating whether his 'yes' vote on the healthcare bill Sunday led angry opponents of the bill to cut the gas line at his brother's house.
Newscom
Washington
As a human rights activist, Rep. Tom Perriello (D) of Virginia, saw some of the world鈥檚 hottest spots 鈥� Kosovo, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Darfur. But he never expected to bring danger to his doorstep with a vote cast on the floor of the House or Representatives for a healthcare bill.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the FBI was investigating whether a severed gas line at the home of Congressman Perriello鈥檚 brother was related to a comment posted on a local "tea party" website for activists to 鈥渄rop by鈥� and 鈥渆xpress their thanks鈥� for his healthcare vote and to 鈥渞emember exactly what it is their constituents are saying and how they are telling them to vote.鈥�
The site mistakenly directed activists to Perriello鈥檚 brother鈥檚 address.
His case 鈥� not yet conclusively related to his "yes" healthcare vote Sunday 鈥� is one of some 10 incidents and threats reported in the last 72 hours against members supporting healthcare reform, say House Democratic leaders.
Incidents include death threats, bricks through windows of member and Democratic party offices, and incidents of spitting and yelling racial epithets at members of the Congressional Black Caucus as they walked through an anti-healthcare demonstration at the Capitol Saturday.
Back to the '60s?
To some historians, it recalls the long run of threats and violence directed against members during the highly charged civil rights debates of the 1960s.
鈥淣ow, everything is 鈥榢ill鈥� or destroy the other party, not just beat them at the polls,鈥� says former House historian Raymond Smock, who directs the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies in Shepherdstown, W.V. 鈥淎ll this talk of 鈥榯argeting鈥� other people is very dangerous stuff, and it鈥檚 getting worse."
Speaking of the incident a his brother's house, Perriello said: 鈥淲hile it is too early to say anything definitive regarding political motivations behind this act, it鈥檚 never too early for political leaders to condemn threats of violence, particularly as threats to other members of Congress and their children escalate."
Republicans condemn the violence
Republican leader John Boehner urged people to take their anger at the healthcare bill and 鈥渃hannel it into positive change.鈥�
鈥淰iolence and threats are unacceptable,鈥� he said in a statement. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not the American way.鈥�
But concern is mounting that the growing influence of the political extremes on politics has led to this moment.
鈥淧assions are running high, and unfortunately there are always extremists who will take it too far,鈥� says Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. 鈥淐all them isolated incidents, but there are enough of them now to cause concern.鈥�