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. 

Since the Jan. 6 attack, Capitol Police has increased staffing and safety procedures. 

“One of the issues we faced over the years is the number of threat prosecutions versus the number of threats is actually pretty low,” Tad DiBiase, the general counsel for Capitol Police, told The New York Times, which first reported on the hirings Tuesday.

Capitol Police said in January it expects a higher number of threats with the presidential election getting closer to November. 

“With the political conventions, member campaigns, and many issues being debated on Capitol Hill, this is going to be a very busy year for our special agents,” Capitol Police Assistant Chief Ashan Benedict said.