The U.S. Capitol Police have investigated 7,501 potential threats against members of Congress in 2022, a historically high number but slightly down from the previous two years. The agency is continuing to investigate potential threats and has implemented additional security measures, such as increased surveillance and National Guard troops, to protect the Capitol complex and its members. They are also working to increase public awareness of the need to report any suspicious activity or potential threats.
News Mash
Six people, including a 16-year-old mother and her 10-month-old son, were tragically killed in a shooting in Goshen, California overnight Monday. The Tulare County Sheriff's Office believes the family had gang associations and were fleeing the scene when they were shot in their heads. The sheriff's office is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Solomon Peña, a former Republican candidate for state office in New Mexico, was arrested Monday and is facing multiple criminal charges related to allegedly paying and conspiring with four men to shoot at the homes of four Democratic lawmakers in Albuquerque since early December. He is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque and the investigation is ongoing.
Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has been appointed to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Small Business Committee, despite facing multiple investigations and calls to resign from fellow Republicans. The House Republican Steering Committee, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, voted to give Santos the slots on the two lower-profile panels. Despite the controversy, House Republicans have decided to keep him on board, assigning him to two committees.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a one-sentence notice with the federal court in El Paso, announcing that they will not seek the death penalty for Patrick Crusius, who is accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019. Crusius is charged with federal hate crimes and firearms violations, as well as capital murder in state court, and could still face the death penalty if convicted. The trial is expected to begin in October, and the sentence he could face is currently unclear.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has announced the discovery of a child's remains near Rush Springs, Oklahoma. The search for the missing 4-year-old Athena Brownfield began on January 10, after her 5-year-old sister was seen wandering unattended. An affidavit for the arrest of Ivon Adams, one of Athena's caretakers, alleges that his wife confessed to authorities that he killed Athena and buried her near their old house. The OSBI is yet to confirm the identity of the remains, but further details are expected in the coming days.
House Republicans are preparing to launch impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, while GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar have been installed on House panels by party leaders. The House Judiciary Committee is prepared to move ahead with formal proceedings if there appears to be a case against Mayorkas, and it is unclear how GOP moderates will react to the potential proceedings.
A Republican operative has filed a civil lawsuit against Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and his wife Mercedes Schlapp, seeking $9.4 million in damages. The plaintiff, who worked as an aide to Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, alleges that Schlapp sexually assaulted him during a car ride following a night of drinking. The lawsuit also claims that the Schlapps and others dishonestly tried to discredit the plaintiff. No court date has been set and the plaintiff is seeking a jury trial.