FBI To Investigate Alleged Threat Against Congressman
November 11, 2009 by Homeland Security NTARC News
Filed under Incident Reports
UPDATE: The FBI said Tuesday it has closed its investigation of an alleged death threat against U.S. Rep. Brian Baird after concluding that the message left on Baird’s Washington, D.C., office phone in August did not constitute a serious threat.
“The information I received from our agents was that upon investigation, our special agents did not feel that the caller posed any threat and did not intend to conduct any act of terrorism,” said Lindsay Godwin, spokeswoman for the FBI’s Washington, D.C., field office. “The investigation is now closed.”
Godwin offered no details on how the caller was tracked down except to say, “We’re very good at what we do. We’re able to work with law enforcement entities here and around the country. We’re a force multiplier.”
Original Post
The Columbian is reporting that the FBI is investigating an alleged death threat made against U.S. Rep. Brian Baird last summer during the height of the Tea Parties and Townhalls.
U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider confirmed Monday that the FBI has taken over the investigation, which does not happen in every case. “Not every case do they jump in,” she said.
Schneider said cases can remain open for years, so a three-month investigation by Capitol Police is not unusual.
Lindsay Godwin, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s field office in Washington, D.C., declined to confirm or deny that the matter was under investigation. “If so, I can’t share anything,” she said.
She added, “We share information through our task force officers on a regular basis with the local police. We work hand-in-hand with local law enforcement.”
Baird’s office declined comment.
“Capitol Police told our office that they wouldn’t be making any comment related to the death threat and nor should we,” said Kelly Love, Baird’s district manager in Vancouver. “We will follow that advice.”
via Read Full Article.
Today’s front page on the Columbian says, “Threat To Baird Not Serious, FBI Says.”
That sure didn’t take long. Managing editor, Lou Brancaccio announced last evening in the comments of this article that a surprise was in store today.
I called back to DC and the Capitol Police weeks ago and even pressed the Columbian for updates. I’m sure others did too and now, it is all wrapped up in a matter of hours.
Perhaps the headline should have been, “Threat not credible.”