In today's Fergus Falls Daily Journal, state senator Gretchen Hoffman talks about the threats made to her, which included visitors to her office trying to get her home address.
Perhaps they should have simply visited her official state senate web page, where her home address is listed, rather than her office. The webpage includes a notation that the senator "Prefers interim mail at this address."
Surely, in light of her perception of requests for her home address as threats, that information will be removed from her official web page as soon as possible.
Indeed, one wonders why this security flaw has been allowed to remain on Hoffman's page at all, since her supporters first began talking months ago about threats made to her. The Daily Journal interview marks the first time that Hoffman herself has spoken about the matter that I am able to locate.
In Hoffman reflects on first six months, the yarn peddler shares the deets as she sees them:
However, Hoffman was surprised by another group of political activists: protesters to the GOP agenda who she said used intimidation and dishonesty to try to influence lawmakers.
“There were a couple of threats we had to turn into the sergeant (-at-arm’s) office – one was an e-mail threat and one was some intimidation,” she said. She also once went to a meeting in which most of the attendees claimed to be her constituents but weren’t; the result included angry chanting and people demanding her address. It got so bad, she said, that she felt the need to call her husband at their Vergas home to warn him that people were trying to find out where she lived.[emphasis added]
Undoubtedly, Hoffman met with the least google-savvy group of protestors to ever visit the capitol, as they were not able to find her listing on the senate's website. Given that, as early as April, she found requests for her address threatening, it's also surprising that she hasn't asked that the home address be removed from the page, along with the request that mail be sent to this address when the legislature is out of session.
Perhaps Hoffman did, but the change has not been made.
Indeed, Bluestem thinks that any threat to a lawmaker and her family is so unacceptable that I hope the press corps in St. Paul and the Fergus Falls Daily Journal both dig in to find out why this information remains on the page.
The article continues:
But, Hoffman remarked, “I don’t need to run around and play a victim. I felt safe there. The sergeant’s office was very good about making us feel safe.” However, she added, she regrets that capitol reporters never saw a news story in her getting an armed escort. The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms could not be reached for comment.[emphasis added]
Last week, Bluestem --though not part of the capitol press corps--undertook such an investigation. However, neither the person I spoke to at the sergeant-of-arms' phone number, nor John Mock of the state patrol, to whom I was referred by the sergeant-of-arms' office. I retain records that the calls took place.
Hoffman's statement raises a number of questions. Do any members of the capitol press corps recall being contacted about these threats, and being pitched story ideas based on them? What group arranged for a constituent meeting, but packed that meeting with people who live outside of her district who are not able to google--but who can chant? Where and when did the meeting take place? Can the sergeant-at-arms' office produce the email that threatened Hoffman?
As I mentioned, Bluestem looked into this matter last week, and the information I received from two offices at the capitol concerned with security does not reconcile with what Hoffman told her local paper. Bluestem wrote up its investigation in Tales of Hoffman: Inquiry finds no evidence for supporters' claims of capitol "police escorts." From that post:
Given the seriousness of the letter writers' claims--and Adams' request that the Fergus Falls Daily Journal begin advocating for Hoffman's protection, Bluestem started asking the specific question: Has Senator Gretchen Hoffman needed a police escort inside the Minnesota State Capitol because she has received threats?
My first call was to the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms office. The person who answered the phone hadn't heard of any threats to Senator Hoffman, but noted that "Capitol Security" would be in charge of investigating any threats to senators, as well as providing any "police" escort inside the building. I was directed to call John Mock at Capitol Security.
Returning my call later yesterday afternoon, Mock said that no state patrol officers had been assigned to escort Senator Hoffman during the session, and his office had no record of any death threats to Hoffman that had been reported to Capitol Security. However, he added that this is not a definitive answer.
He noted that while people often refer--as the letter writers did-- to "capitol police," this phrase is a misnomer. Two state patrol officers are assigned to Capitol Security, although their numbers are often supplemented as security needs change (say, when large rallies are planned).
The uniformed state patrol officers on duty are assisted by uniformed civilian security officers, who are employees of the state patrol, Mock explained. The uniformed civilian security officers are the men and women at the state capitol who wear blue uniforms.
Finally, a third group assists with securing the capitol, non-uniformed civilian security personnel. This final group is largely composed of retired law enforcement officers. They wear maroon blazers, khaki slacks, and badges (not shields) that identify them.
Mock thought that it was possible that Hoffman might have asked for an escort from any of these levels, although his office has no record of such a request and no state patrol officers were assigned to protect her.
He noted that anyone at the capitol complex--including any visitor--can ask for an escort if he or she feels the need for one; one doesn't have to be a state employee or legislator working at the state capitol to receive assistance from Capitol Security. This policy is very much in line with security procedures at universities; escorts can be requested by anyone who feels the need for one. It's "better safe than sorry" common sense.
So it is possible that at some point in the session, Senator Hoffman asked for an escort from Capitol Security. However, the office didn't receive reports of any death threats nor did it provide a "capitol police escort" as a consequence of them.
This is a serious concern. Security at the capitol is an important matter, regardless of how brave Hoffman may be, and the press corps really should check these things out. She has gone on record now with the Fergus Falls Daily Journal expressing her disappointment that the journalists did not do their jobs.
One additional recourse is available to Hoffman beyond her own personal fortitude. An NRA member, Hoffman says that she is the holder of a carry permit as well, according to the google cache of her campaign Facebook page, and so is legally able to use a firearm at the capitol.
Bluestem encourages her to ensure her legal right to defend herself, just as I urge the capitol press corps to seek out the truth about these conflicting stories. The Bill of Rights is a very fine thing.
Screenshots: From Hoffman's senate page. An old hand also tells me that other sources contain the home addresses of state lawmakers. Does Minnesota need a change of policy about disclosure of home addresses? (above); Hoffman touting her permit to carry (below).
Related posts: Tales of Hoffman: "I never knew how poor we were" (and neither did her radio audience)
Tales of Hoffman: Inquiry finds no evidence for supporters' claims of capitol "police escorts"
: Tales of Hoffman: Rally in Fergus Falls on June 28; secret DFLer Bill Ingebrightsen invited
Tales of Hoffman: Kvetchin' Gretchen apologizes; local GOP bulldog takes up her cause
Lawyers, puns and money: on doing the right thing, and moving on
Shiny news object: Minnpost headline rewrites state's legislative social media ethics history
Tales of Hoffman: Vergas yarn seller's "sensitivity" defense unravels, forced to apologize
Tales of Hoffman: Senate Ethics Committee to workshop freshman pol's tweet on Monday
Tales of Hoffman: Vergas yarn peddler slapped with ethics beef; local editorial jeers her tweet
Tales of Hoffman: Unsweet tweet may meet ethics complaint fate
Tales of Hoffman; or, Newman off-shores Minnesota job-killing tax blame game
Tales of Hoffman: Attention gay Raelians! Schedule your next skeet shoot in Fergus Falls!
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