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Published January 14, 2015
Sen. Mark Dayton (search) has decided to shut down his Senate office on Capitol Hill until after the election on Nov. 2 because of what he considers to be "an unacceptably greater risk" to the safety of his staff and constituents.
Dayton, D-Minn., said he made the decision based on a top secret intelligence briefing he and other members received on national security. His staff will move from the Russell Senate Office Building (search) to his Minnesota office and to Senate space off Capitol Hill.
"I do so out of extreme but necessary precaution to protect the lives and safety of my Senate staff and my Minnesota constituents who might otherwise visit my office in the next few weeks. I feel compelled to do so because I will not be here in Washington to share in what I consider to be unacceptably greater risk to their safety," he said.
Dayton said he could not disclose details of the intelligence report because of its classified nature, but revealed it was presented to senators at a briefing two weeks ago by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (search), R-Tenn.
The senator added that on three different occasions, he has asked Frist to hold a meeting with all the Senate to discuss the issue. He said he doesn't know what to make of Frist's decision not to convene a chamber-wide discussion on whether to shut down other offices.
"I am dismayed and perplexed by his unwillingness to meet with us further about the information, which he initially brought to our attention. In the absence of that further discussion, I have made my own decision about my office as is my responsibility," Dayton said.
Frist spokeswoman Amy Call downplayed Dayton's decision to shut down the office, saying the briefings have been ongoing and date back to August when Capitol Police were put on high alert. She said members "certainly make their individual decisions," but indicated there was nothing new to prompt such a decision.
FBI (search) officials told FOX News that they are concerned about a potential terror attack before the election, something they have said before. An official said, however, that Dayton's comments are somewhat perplexing because intelligence has not yet revealed details.
"We do not know the who, what, when, where or how" an attack might occur, the official said without further comment.
Brian Roehrkasse, a Homeland Security Department spokesman, said the department had no intelligence indicating Al Qaeda (search) intends to target any specific U.S. locations.
Added Capitol police spokesman Michael Lauer: "There's been no specific threats against the Capitol complex. We continue to be on guard now, all the way up to the election and all the way through the inauguration."
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., said he found Dayton's move "extraordinary."
"Even when the Senate is out of session, we have a job to do to serve our constituents, and in the War on Terror (search), we can't let non-imminent threats prevent us from doing our work," Warner said.
Frist spokesman Bob Stevenson said he was unaware of any other senators who were closing their offices.
Nonetheless, Dayton said he would advise people from his home state to avoid Capitol Hill until after the Nov. 2 election.
"I would not bring my two sons to the Capitol between now and the election," he added.
FOX News' Anna Persky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/senator-shuts-d-c-office