House official: Threats to lawmakers increase in 2017

The chief law enforcement official for the House of Representatives tells federal officials that Capitol Police have already investigated more threats to members of Congress in the first six months of the year than in all of 2016.

The number of threatening communications to lawmakers has already reached about 950. Last year, U.S. Capitol Police investigated 902 such communications.

The Federal Election Commission on Monday cited the numbers in a memo on its website. The numbers came from House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving.

Lawmakers have spoken about an increasing number of threats and several discussed it freely after a gunman opened fire at a baseball practice last month, grievously wounding Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

The FEC is weighing Irving's request for lawmakers to use campaign funds for security.