Capitol Police hires special prosecutors to investigate threats to lawmakers

The U.S. Capitol Police hired three special prosecutors to investigate threats made to members of Congress and help prosecute threat cases involving members, the agency confirmed Wednesday to The Hill.

The three attorneys are spread across the U.S., with one in Washington, D.C.; San Jose, Calif.; and Tampa, Fla., the agency confirmed. The first position was created in 2022, while the other two were added in 2023.

The special assistant attorneys will not be prosecuting Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot cases. They will advise the Justice Department during the prosecution of suspects who threaten lawmakers.

The hiring of the prosecutors comes as the threats against lawmakers, their staff and their families have increased over the years. Capitol Police investigated more than 8,000 threats to members of Congress in 2023, a spike compared to the previous year. In 2022, there were around 7,500 threats. Both years are still less than 2021, when around 9,600 threats occurred.

Read more: The Hill