U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has no plans to curtail meetings with constituents or hire personal security, but she may appoint a staff person to work more closely with police in response to Saturday’s shooting rampage in Arizona.
That step is one in a series of security measures that Capitol Police are expected to recommend during security briefings with congressional staffers this week.
“She feels that one of the most fundamental parts of her job is talking directly to constituents, so that’s not going to change,” said Willie Ritch, spokesman for Maine’s 1st Congressional District representative. “The Capitol Police have urged our office and every office in Congress to be careful, and if we find ourselves … in a situation that makes anyone nervous, we should take that seriously.”
Pingree hosted several meetings with constituents in the past year, similar to the “Congress on Your Corner” event that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords held Saturday in Tucson, where a gunman opened fire, killing six people and critically wounding Giffords.
On Monday, public safety workers, elected officials and government employees across the country observed a moment of silence for the victims. Flags were lowered to half-staff until Friday evening at the direction of President Obama and, in Maine, Gov. Paul LePage.
A rally planned in Augusta on Monday in support of the Health Care Affordability Act was postponed. Nine groups that advocate for seniors, labor, women and other causes had planned to rally at the State House to urge LePage and Attorney General William Schneider to support the act.
Instead, the Maine Can Do Better Coalition said it was a day to put aside political differences and stand together as a nation.
The shooting has provoked discussion about the safety of members of Congress, and about how vitriolic political debate can lead to violence. There are indications that the gunman in Arizona had mental illness, and that his attack was politically motivated.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, representing Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, said the shooting should cause people to re-examine their rhetoric.
“The congressman believes the words you choose do matter,” said his spokesman, Ed Gilman. “Across the spectrum, we can all stand to be responsible in our political discourse.”
In the immediate aftermath of the shootings, some inflammatory websites were taken down, including one by a political action committee linked to 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The website displayed a national map with the districts of 20 “targeted” representatives, including Gifford’s, marked by what appear to be gun sight cross hairs.
Rep. Cynthia Dill, D-Cape Elizabeth, removed a satirical post from her blog that suggested more women should arm themselves to reduce school board disruptions by lunatics.
“Out of respect for the families that lost loved ones to gun violence this weekend, I did suspend the satirical post I wrote about the prevalence of guns in our society,” Dill said in a prepared statement. “It seemed like the right thing to do.”
Michaud plans to continue returning to Maine regularly to meet with constituents, Gilman said.
“The congressman comes home to Maine every weekend following votes and holds literally hundreds of meetings and public events each year. We don’t want to change any of that,” Gilman said. But he will be receptive to proposals by Capitol Police to make events safer for all participants.
Maine’s senators also will look to see what measures the federal security officials propose.
“My staff and I will respond accordingly to any security procedures recommended by the Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate, who oversee safety measures for members and staff, based on their evaluation of this reprehensible attack,” Sen. Olympia Snowe said in a prepared statement.
Sen. Susan Collins’ chief of staff, Mary Dietrich, said security measures must be balanced with constituents’ rights to have direct access to their representatives in Congress.
“While virtually every member of the Senate has had threats made against him or her at some point, the heinous attack in Arizona serves as a reminder that we need to continue to take the personal safety and security of Senator Collins, our staff and constituents seriously,” Dietrich said.
Members of Congress do not get Secret Service protection unless they are in leadership roles, said staff members. Security often is handled by local police.
Portland Police Chief James Craig said he does not have the staffing to provide round-the-clock protection to members of Congress when they are in the city.
Any public appearance is evaluated to determine whether the topic might generate controversy.
Craig noted that he assigned officers to an appearance by Lady Gaga, who came to Portland in the fall to advocate for repealing the ban on gays serving openly in the military. Craig, a former Los Angeles police commander, noted that celebrities often have their own security.
Craig said shooting incidents can happen anywhere, underscoring the need to ensure that people with mental illness get the treatment they need.
“If you’re not treating our mentally ill population, these are the kinds of things that can occur,” he said.
Sgt. Scott Ireland, head of LePage’s security detail, told reporters at the State House on Monday that officers closely inspect the governor’s public schedule to get a sense of crowd sizes and the types of groups that will likely attend.
“We’re constantly evaluating what we do and how we do it,” he said.
Maine State Police had a visible presence at last week’s inaugural and reception. Ireland, who has provided protection for Govs. Angus King, John Baldacci and now LePage, said governors receive threats by phone, mail and e-mail. All get checked out.
“I think there’s a risk to any public figure,” he said. “Everyone’s a target in some group or another.”
LePage does have a concealed-weapons permit, Ireland said, but he does not carry a gun.
LePage’s spokesman, Dan Demeritt, said LePage viewed Saturday’s incident as “a tragic act of violence, and he doesn’t see how politics played a role in it. (The gunman) is a deranged person.”
Capitol Police in Washington have a threat assessment team, which has the expertise to evaluate the risk posed to a member of Congress by a person or at a particular event, said Ritch, Pingree’s spokesman.
Pingree’s staff said participants at some constituent meetings have become extremely agitated, especially at meetings focused on health care reform, which were targeted by an organized national campaign.
“and large, people here in Maine are a little more down to earth,” Ritch said. “(Pingree) feels comfortable here at home in Maine. That’s not a judgment about Arizona. It’s a judgment about Maine.”
Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at: dhench@pressherald.com
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