Following Saturday’s shooting in Arizona, which wounded a congresswoman and killed a federal judge, Representative Robert Brady (D-Pennsylvania) plans to introduce legislation that would outlaw the use of threatening language or symbols against members of Congress, judges and other federal officials.

 

The bill will be modeled after existing law that forbids making threats towards the president. “You can’t do it to him; you should not be able to do it to a congressman, senator or federal judge,” Brady told CNN. The current law also applies to the vice-president.

 

Brady and other officials cited Republican Sarah Palin’s targeting of 20 House Democrats during the 2010 election, which included a website graphic that looked like the crosshairs of a rifle scope. A spokesman for Palin insisted the campaign was never intended to provoke violence.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Shooting Prompts Legislation to Protect Lawmakers, Officials (by Mark Preston, CNN)

Gabrielle Giffords Live Updates (by Felicia Sonmez, Washington Post)