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State legislators across the country say they are deeply concerned about the lack of security they receive as a result of The targeted shooting of two minnesota legislatorsEven if local officials are trying to intensify certain security measures.
Apart from their State Capitol complexes, states legislators have little or no security protection. No state offers proactive security to the members of its legislator, although the police generally intervene if there are credible threats.
And despite the renewed attention to the question, legislators fear that little will ultimately be made that can make a significant difference, since in many states, these posts are actually part -time jobs with small budgets.
The democratic representative of the state of Minnesota, Emma Greenman, who was a colleague close to the victims of this weekend shooting, said that the attack in her state should almost certainly serve as a “awakening” around the lack of security measures for state legislators, but that the solutions have remained scarce.
“I think many of us are going through this,” Greenman told NBC News in an interview. “We are normal people in normal neighborhoods.”
“What now does that mean for part-time legislators?” She added. “We are not members of the Congress, who have many more resources. Frankly, there has just been much more reflection on how to protect members of the Congress, or a governor, probably even a mayor. “
Security problems after Minnesota shootings have also extended to Congress members. Only a handful of federal legislators receive 24 -hour protection against the details of the Capitol police security, although members can request additional protection.
However, this level of protection goes far beyond what is available for state legislators. Like Greenman, the representative of the state of Arizona, Stephanie Simacek, a democrat, said that she was not receiving any security outside her Capitol of State.
“We are constantly there, vulnerable. That I am volunteering somewhere, that I hit doors for someone, starting to carry out my own campaign, I am vulnerable,” said Simacek.
In the original state of Simacek, then-representative. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., Was shot in the head as she met voters in 2011.
Simacek, which earns $ 24,000 a year as a state representative, said there was no appetite to finance a security apparatus for legislators.
“I don’t see any way for that,” she said. “And it’s so scary, given the circumstances right now.”
Simacek therefore takes things in hand. She said that she had already started the process of installing cameras on her original property, which she pays for herself, not with country funds.
Kansas state senator, Tory Marie Blew, a republican, also said that she was not receiving any security protection after leaving the State Capitol building in Topeka.
She also said that she had no hope for a legislative path that could finance additional security measures.
“It would be expensive, of course, and we must have a budgetary article for that,” she said. There are also logistical complications, especially in larger states, has been noted.
“I live three hours from the state capital. I don’t think we would even know where to start for all these legislators who live far (outside), “she said.
Blew and his family have a safety system at the door at their door at home, “but we cannot afford a massive security system,” she said.
The authorities said The Minnesota shooting suspectVance Boelter visited the houses of four elected officials early Saturday, pretending to be a police officer. The authorities allege to have shot and killed the representative of the state Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home, shortly after, they say, he seriously injured the senator of the State John Hoffman and his wife during a separate shooting at their home.
Like Greenman, Simacek and many others serving in state government, Blew was at the end of the threatening emails and is somewhat regularly “shouted” in public.
“That’s part of the work,” she said. “More and more, it is scary.”
In recent days, a number of state representatives have tried to take additional measures to protect legislators.
Wisconsin officials announced increased security To their state capitol on Monday while legislators seek to continue their legislative session. New Hampshire officials did the same.
In Colorado, officials Public access in break to the state campaign financing database. Campaign financing deposits in each state almost always require that a candidate lists his personal address, which makes her publicly available to anyone. Minnesota, New Mexico and Northern Dakota legislators have taken similar measures, The Associated Press reportedRemove the domestic addresses of website legislators and state databases where they are listed or consulted.
Elsewhere, other actions to guarantee the security of the legislators have marked a clear interruption of what has generally been banal legislative procedures.
For example, after the shooting, the legislators of a state postponed the disclosure of at least one bill which was to receive a lot of politically attention when they evaluated whether the appropriate security protocols were in place for his release, said an operator in this state.
In the meantime, NBC News legislators have spoken with what they had no risk with their home security.
Simacek said that she “makes sure that the door is always locked” and reminds her children “that we did not open it when someone strikes – we see who it is first”.
Greenman, who was forced to take shelter in place throughout the weekend while law enforcement officials frantically sought the Minnesota suspect, said she was frightened.
“Even now that this guy has been taken, there will be a concern for copies,” she said. “We all feel much more vulnerable now.”
