FBI: Death Threats Against Lawmakers Decline

Members of Congress have faced 236 death threats in the last decade but those deemed serious by the FBI have been declining. The FBI reported that serious threats were at 42 in 2001 and dropped to nine by 2006, The Washington Post said.

However, threats against federal employees have been inching up. In 2009, the Justice Department brought 308 cases against 331 people, but in 2010 it brought 320 cases against 352 people, according to The Post, which reported the data in the wake of Saturday’s shooting in Tucson that counted a member of Congress, a federal judge, and a federal employee among the victims.

Threats against federal court employees are also up, according to a 2009 report by the Justice Department Inspector General. Various court personnel received 1,278 threats in fiscal year 2008, more than double those of 2003, The Post said.