Rep. Cantor's Richmond Campaign Office Shot at Overnight

[sabra]

Source: Fox News

Republican Rep. Eric Cantor's Richmond campaign office was shot at Wednesday night, Fox News has learned, the latest in a rash of apparent threats and acts of intimidation against members of Congress.

Most of the threats so far have been reported by Democrats, but Cantor -- the No. 2 Republican in the House -- is one of about 10 lawmakers who has asked for increased security protection, Fox News has learned. As a member of the House leadership, U.S. Capitol Police already provide Cantor with a security detail around the clock, but he has asked for more security.

As House Republican whip, Cantor is the highest elected Jewish politician in the country.

...

Fox News has also obtained a threatening message left Friday on the voicemail of Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/25/rep-cantors-richmond-campaign-office-shot-overnight/

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more:

GOP lawmaker now reports threat over healthcare stance

U.S. Capitol Police are investigating a threatening voicemail left in the office of Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), her chief of staff said Thursday.

Schmidt's office was left a voicemail late Wednesday night in what appears to be the first instance of a Republican lawmaker being targeted for their healthcare vote.

The voicemail features a caller who talks of wishing the congresswoman had broken her back in a 2008, according to a recording send to the media by Schmidt's chief of staff, Barry Bennett.

The voicemail makes reference to Schmidt, as well as Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House GOP Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), calling them and the Republican Party racist.

The voicemail specifically references a 2008 incident when Schmidt was hit by a car while jogging, due to which she suffered broken ribs and a broken vertebrae.

The caller also threatens using a gun to assault Tea Party members had spat on the caller, as Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) said that anti-health reform protesters had done to him during weekend protests on Capitol Hill.

[Doctor_J]

1. Fox "News" - all Repuke bullshit, all the time

thanks for sharing on the DEMOCRATIC Underground

[felinetta]

15. I can't help but be suspicious that perhaps it was a plant. Remember Rove faked a break in and

accused Democrats. This was years ago, but I wouldn't put it
past them to do this.  I just want to
be sure that this wasn't an inside job.  Remember how they all
wet their pants over the phony Acorn rap.  So I'm not
convinced.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. Yup. I just posted the same thing downthread.

[felinetta]

21. This thing just smells, doesn't it? It's just the sort of dumb thing they would try to do yet again.

[felinetta]

19. Repubs have cried "wolf" too, too many times. Who didn't see this ploy coming. They have to try to

switch subjects and start focusing on this. 

[ck4829]

2. 5 bucks says it's militia wannabes getting directions to the wrong place... again

[barbiegeek]

40. Take Pictures of Cantors windows I'm sure they are fine

[Ian David]

3. Were the holes in his window shot in the shape of a backward "B"? n/t

[kestrel91316]

22. +100

[No Elephants]

48. Exactly.

[tridim]

4. Perfect timing Faux!

Unbelievable. Where is the police report Faux?

Remember, Faux is "entertainment", not news, by LAW.

[T Wolf]

5. These are obviously faux-threats by the pukes themselves to provide "fair and balanced"

coverage of the violence they commit.

But, of course, this will be blasted by the media while they ignore the real violence committed by the reich.

[Posteritatis]

35. I dunno, I can see it

Some people would be pissed that the Republicans didn't manage to kill the bill, and there's the fact that the guy's Jewish. Either would be good enough for the type of rightwing dumbass who would want to shoot up a Congressman's place of work in the first place. And firearms are a bit more serious than throwing bricks through a door. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that there's a whole goddamned hell of a lot more being aimed at congressional Democrats - and their families, and their kids, etc. - in the last few days. As far as individual incidents go something like this is serious, but it'll be a drop in the bucket as part of the whole.

I fully expected a few Republicans to take some flak from the teabagger crowd over this, seeing as there's a lot of more royal than the king on that side of the spectrum too, but I'd still feel much safer if I were a congressional Republican than a Democrat anytime for the next couple of years.

[my2sense]

6. The ignorant shooter probably couldn't read his marching orders n/t

[superconnected]

7. Wasn't it last year that a republican office ended up get fake attacked by a republican?

Someone ought to tell them that the most likely person to _shoot_ at them or their office is one of them.

[dave29]

8. Parlock!

n/t

[City Lights]

9. Paging Phil Parlock... nt

[hedgehog]

10. I believe someone took a shot as Cantor's office, I just want that

person identified and arrested ASAP.

Aren't O'Keefe and his buddies out on bail?

[Mr. Sparkle]

11. Cantor is such a slimball that i wouldn't be surprised if he did it himself just for the publicity.

in saying that, i hope our side doesn't go down the same route of threatening the opposition member's.

[Bonhomme Richard]

12. It's a ruse to give repugs cover.

They will never get the guy.....by design.

[madamesilverspurs]

13. "As House Republican whip, Cantor is the highest elected Jewish politician in the country. "

Really, Fox? I think that would come as a surprise to Joe Lieberman and several others...

--

[Jefferson23]

14. I hope they find these individuals, I have my own suspicions on the matter, but we'll see.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

16. Reminds me of when Rove bugged his own office.

He wanted it to look like he was being spied on same as he was spying on Democrats.
This is all too fishy.
Why would you complain about the vote of someone who lost?

[felinetta]

24. Love your comments. And haven't we already seen this movie before?Sheesh!

[Guilded Lilly]

18. Convenient.? Ironic? It's all bad news.

I abhor violence from anyone. All it takes is one nutcase to change the course of history for millions.

I believe the Republicans have been gleefully supportive of the meaness and potential violence by not condemning it and also by taking part in some instances.

NOW though, when they realize that you can't stop crazies on either side, they are feeling some ugly heat on their own. And NOW they come out condemning it. (well some do, some like perpetually mad/mean/vengeful Mr. McCain most likely love it)

Whether or not it is carefully manipulated to look like attacks from the opposing party's followers ( and who can trust that this isn't the case given the history of this particular Republican party/recent media...blah blah blah) or whether it is genuinely a nutjob...it has to stop.

Real crazies cross party lines to find plenty of reasons to hate.
They just support hate.

[mulsh]

20. a quick search on google reveals Fox news is the only source

for this "story". I would find it more credible if at least one other news agency reported, bonus point for referencing a police incident report.

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. Here's one...

From the Richmond Times Dispatch:
dated March 25

Rep. Eric Cantor says this afternoon that a gunshot was fired through a window of his downtown Richmond campaign office building either last night or two nights ago.

There were no injuries or other details immediately reported. Cantor, in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, said he doesn’t know whether the shot was random or aimed at the building.

He said he doesn’t know if anyone was in the building when the shot was fired. Richmond police are investigating, he said.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/possible_shot_fired_at_office_building_of_cantor_consultant/332877/

[No Elephants]

50. Well, I can understand not knowing if your office was shot at for the first time in history

last night or the night before that. It's like saying, "I gave birth to my firstborn child last night--or maybe it was Tuesday night." Not sure when it happened, but I am sure it happened."

Riiiiigggghttttt.

And when Cantor found out, he never asked, "Did anyone get hurt? Was anyone there? Did anyone see the shooter?"

Riiiiggggghttt.

[Moosepoop]

34. Not only that... they've changed their own story.

The initial Fox news reports had the "incident" occurring on Wednesday night. Now they've changed it to Monday night, with no explanation. For instance, check the OP -- the copied & pasted text from the linked article says "Wednesday." Follow the link to the article though, and it now has different text and says it was "Monday". Fox has changed its own reporting (without noting any corrections) just in the span of time the OP has been up.

Google "Cantor shot" and the original cached version is there, along with the newer "Monday" version.

[struggle4progress]

23. I'm naturally suspicious -- but, really, this is not good at all: it's exactly what's expected

in an increasingly polarized political climate, and it can deteriorate quickly

Jean Schmidt is several bonbons and nougats short of a full sampler, but she doesn't deserve such phone calls. Neither does Cantor

[get the red out]

25. I was accidentally near a Fox-tuned TV

And they stated this as if a Republican themselves had been shot at.

[HopeHoops]

26. Yeah, and I bet FOX hired the teabagger who did it so they would have an "other side" example.

[sadbear]

27. Please...

these "attacks" on republicans are false flag. Republicans know they are getting all the blame for the domestic terrorism going on, so they are trying to spread blame to us as well. FAIL.

[tom_paine]

28. Yep. False Flag PsyOp. Attacks on Dems getting Corporate M$M publicity so they had to be

neutralized.

I wish it was a "FAIL", but to 99.9% of people, it's going to be a smashing success.

[No Elephants]

51. No, not 99.9% of people. Not even 99.9% of FOX viewers.

[BigD_95]

29. I call BS

they did it to themselves so they will look like its going both ways

[thecrow]

56. Well, they DO want an armed conflict.

And they ARE having an armed assembly on April 19th.....not in DC, but VA.
And the Richmond Dispatch reporting this, in addition to Faux reports will agitate already agitated VA.

[LiberalFighter]

30. Probably Russian Mafia from his grandparent's ancestry home

[aquart]

31. Does anybody believe this?

Because it's ever so convenient immediately AFTER the attacks on Dems brought media attention and condemnation AND NOT ONE ATTACK BEFORE THAT.

[madmom]

32. Threatening gun violence is a right winger thing, sorry no sale.

[RedEarth]

36. I sure wish DU wouldn't allow links to FOX

This story might be true, but I'd rather wait and get it from another site than direct traffic to that rightwing site.

[pattmarty]

37. I'd be willing to bet that if they could find the bullet that it would be.........

............a perfect match with shithead Cantor's gun, that assuming it is true at all.

[Optimistic]

38. I think this could have happened

It is Naive to think that some on the the Left is incapable of doing these actions, I tale Cantor at his word on this

[RaleighNCDUer]

43. LOL

First, why would anyone take Cantor's word on anything?

Second, his side lost the vote - nobody is going to be so pissed at a LOSER that they will take pot shots at his office. You might have an argument if his side had prevented the passing of the bill, and someone was pissed about that, but there is no reason, rational or irrational, for a lefty to do this.

Clearly a false flag gambit for sympathy, or "OMG, our people are actually doing what we've been telling them to do - quick, shoot out my window so it can't all be pinned on us!"

[No Elephants]

52. Why on earth would anyone take any Republican at his word? Especially about something this fishy?

[howaboutme]

39. Check the top left drawer of his desk

you'll find the smoking gun. The Repubs know how to manipulate the media. They can't stand seeing the Democratic Party being made into the victim without having a piece of the action.

[Brother Buzz]

41. Agent provocateur

[keopeli]

42. All that needs to happen is for Dem leaders to speak out clearly against this violence.

They don't need to accuse the Republics of setting this up themselves, in spite of the likelihood of this being a false flag or self inflicted event. Democratic leaders can simply go on Fox news and renounce violent behavior like this, distance themselves from this behavior, call it deplorable, call the ones who did this reprehensible and tell Democrats that they should never resort to violence or personal attacks. Tell them we live in a Democracy and use the ballot box to express our dissatisfaction with political leaders. Tell them the full weight of the law should be leveled against perpetrators of such violent behavior.

That rhetoric is SO different from Republics and Faux News that it will stand in marked contrast for everyone to see. There will always be crazies on both sides. It's how your leaders react that make the difference.

[RaleighNCDUer]

44. And maybe mention that it's against Democratic principles to kick a guy

when he's down - Cantor's already a loser, let him wallow in his misery.

[bc3000]

49. good post.

I concur.

[tomhayes]

45. Overnight? 1)It WASN'T overnight

2)The shot wasn't fired into Cantor's office :

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2010/03/pelosi_congress_undaunted_by_t.html
"The shot was fired into the office of two Republican political strategists who are longtime advisers to Cantor. The building in downtown Richmond has no markings that link it to Cantor or to political activity."

So sometime in the past a bullet (stray or targeted) hit an unmarked building Cantor occupied? And there have been no mentions of threats or intimidation against the office or people?

Could this be a gun nut randomly firing his gun in the air? (It could be DEMOCRAT TERRORISM - but that case is not 1% as clear as Cantor is trying to make it.)

[dixiegrrrrl]

54. Great find!!!!!!

So now it is one of those "friend of a friend told me" things.

Send that Rachel.

[BunkerHill24]

46. Do you need an alibi, Mr. Cantor?

[RZM]

47. Who knows?

I haven't the slightest idea whether this is real or not. But I do think that super-extremists on both ends tend to reject mainstream politicians no matter what their party affiliation is. It's certainly plausible that someone on the right did this out of genuine anger towards Congress and/or anti-Semitism. It's less likely that it's someone on the left, but that's not outside the realm of possibility either. I think that a 'false flag' operation is the least likely of these three scenarios, though I can't completely discount it.

[fascisthunter]

53. the GOP had to find a way to divert culpability... truth being, they are behind the threats themsel

but as usual, fascists are pathological lying losers who hide behind lies. Their days are UP!

[musiclawyer]

55. Just make a public records request for the police report

At the very least, depending on state law, you will get the "face page" and know when the incident was called in and cursory details.

[HughMoran]

57. nO yOU dUNCES! cANTOR IS one Of Us!!11!!

:rofl:

They thought he was a Democrat :rofl:

[BreweryYardRat]

58. I sense a false flag op.

Check the window glass -- I wouldn't be surprised if it had fallen outward. (Indicating that the shot came from inside the office.)