Expressing the Sense of the Senate That Violence and Threats of Violence Against the Employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Are Unacceptable and Should Be Condemned

Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to condemn the violence and threats of violence against the men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

I take these threats seriously. This July 1, I chaired the Judiciary Committee hearing on law enforcement officer safety and the threats our law enforcement officers are facing. I have repeatedly made clear that violence against law enforcement is never--never--acceptable no matter what ideology motivates it, but here is the reality.

In the past month, following the FBI's execution of a search warrant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, the FBI has faced a flood of threats against its employees and its facilities, and these threats have been egged on by the former President and his allies.

The men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation literally put their lives on the line every day to keep all of us safe. They put themselves in harm's way to stop armed criminals, drug traffickers, terrorist organizations, and others who threaten our communities. They serve on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic and investigate and hold accountable those who traffic illegal opioids and who illegally prescribe pharmaceutical opioids. They investigate crimes against children and human trafficking--some of the most heinous crimes imaginable. They work day in and day out to combat international and domestic terrorism, and they carry out judicially issued search warrants every day. That is part of their job and an important role that they play in our justice system.

Unfortunately, ever since the August 8 Mar-a-Lago search, their dedication has been repaid with a flood of baseless attacks and violent threats. Attacking the FBI for his own political advantage is nothing new for the former President, but the attacks haven't stopped with him. His allies and followers have spewed anti-FBI vitriol online and across the airwaves. In recent weeks, there have been calls from Republican Members of Congress to ``destroy'' and ``defund'' the FBI. There have been calls from Republican congressional candidates to ``gut'' the FBI ``like a fish'' and ``shoot FBI, IRS, ATF, and all other feds on sight.'' So it is no surprise that such outrageous and irresponsible rhetoric coincides with a stunning increase in violent threats against the FBI.

Last month, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint intelligence bulletin detailing an increase in violent threats and acts of violence against Federal law enforcement officials following the August 8 Mar-a-Lago search. These include threats to place a ``dirty bomb'' outside of the FBI headquarters and online calls for civil war and armed rebellion.

On August 11, a man wearing body armor--armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and a nail gun--attempted to breach the FBI's Cincinnati field office. On August 16, another man was indicted for threatening to murder everyone at the FBI, from Director Wray to the custodial staff. On August 25, a man jumped the fence at FBI's Chicago field office but, thankfully, was detained and taken to a local hospital for evaluation before he could hurt anyone.

In response to the joint intelligence bulletin and these incidents, I asked the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to have a private briefing with Members of the Senate's Judiciary and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees last week. That briefing only added to my concern.

I cannot share the specifics from this closed-door briefing, but I will say this: It should go without saying that the men and women of the FBI risk their lives every day on our behalf, but the increase in threats to their personal safety since the August 8 Mar-a-Lago search warrant is shocking. Beyond the direct threats and violence, there are also rising concerns about the public spread of personal information about the FBI's employees and families--a practice known as doxing. I fear the situation may get worse.

Last Thursday, former President Trump kept up his threatening rhetoric against these law enforcement officers. He said that if he were indicted for his actions, ``I think you'd have problems in this country the likes of which, perhaps, we've never seen before. I don't think the people of the United States would stand for it.'' That is exactly the kind of language President Trump used after he lost the 2020 election to incite the January 6 attack here at the Capitol.

As I have said many times, political violence and threats of violence in the furtherance of any cause--any cause--is unacceptable. It is time for the Senate to stand up and support the men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who have been threatened and attacked for simply doing their jobs and working to protect America. Let's condemn these baseless attacks on the men and women of the FBI and the despicable political game they represent.

Res. 775, submitted earlier today.
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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this resolution which just passed without objection from any Member of the Senate will be a reminder to the men and women who serve in law enforcement, particularly in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, that we stand behind them and that those who would exploit political events at the expense of the safety of these men and women are beyond the pale of constitutional conduct. We want to stand behind those who are standing for us--to protect us and our families.

I thank the Senate for agreeing to this resolution. It is timely; it is important; and it is clear.

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