Jayapal spent $45,000 on home security since the beginning of the year
Aug 3, 2023, 1:50 PM
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. (Photo by J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images)
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) spent over $45,000 this year on home security using campaign donations, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records. Because of the changing political climate, the FEC allows donations to be used for security.
“I’ve had threats against my life, including a man showing up with a gun at my door, and I never in a million years thought that I would need to take such strong steps to protect my safety and security just to be able to do my job, the job that people elected me to do,” Jayapal said in an interview with The Seattle Times.
More on Jayapal: Man pleads guilty to harassing Rep. Pramila Jayapal
A Seattle man was arrested in front of Jayapal’s home over a year ago with a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Brett Forsell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor stalking and was sentenced to 364 days in the King County Jail.
“I don’t think any member should be physically attacked,” Jayapal said. “I think that kind of violence is wrong, everywhere, period.”
Jayapal said her entire team has been threatened and is heightening security measures in her Washington D.C. office.
“We’ve just had to really think about how we can still be open, still be accessible, but also still be mindful and protective,” Jayapal said. “Of not just my security, but my family’s security and members of the staff.”
Jayapal said she has also worked with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, to increase security at the homes of other members of Congress.
More on Jayapal: SPD detective reveals harrowing details of the night Rep. Jayapal’s life was threatened
Based on the new threat assessment statistics released earlier this month by the U.S. Capitol Police, law enforcement investigated 7,501 threats toward members of Congress. This figure includes concerning statements and direct threats.
This data shows a drop from 9,625 threats in 2021 and 8,613 in 2020, but it is still higher than the 6,955 and 5,206 threats examined in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
