Politics

Security briefings crash into the once-quiet life of state lawmakers

Published

1 year ago

June 16, 2025

State police have advised local lawmakers across the country to be increasingly vigilant about their personal security as those members reel from a politically-motivated shooting in Minnesota that killed Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injured Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.

As they mourn one colleague and worry over another, state lawmakers from Pennsylvania to Arizona are receiving security briefings on how to ensure their own safety — and grappling with what it means to be a local public official in a political environment increasingly gripped by violence, according to interviews with nearly a dozen state lawmakers.

“It has all of us on edge,” said Arizona Rep. Alma Hernandez, who experienced a shooting outside her home two days before the Minnesota tragedy. An investigation into that incident is ongoing, but Hernandez said she has been targeted by threats like publication of her address over the last year over her pro-Israel stance and consequently spent thousands of dollars on home security measures like cameras and iron bars on windows.

Hernandez is not alone in her rising concern over the risks associated with serving in state legislatures, positions once viewed as an extension of local community service that have taken on a chilling dimension.

“It is incredibly depressing to see what’s going on in our country, and that political violence is on the rise, and that political violence is being normalized,” said the Tucson Democrat. It’s a scary time that we’re living in.”

Elected officials in multiple states have been advised to assess their home security systems, turn on location services on their devices and refrain from posting on social media in real time. In Wisconsin, House Speaker Robin Vos on Monday called for increased security ahead of an upcoming floor session, after learning that 11 lawmakers were named in a manifesto by the Minnesota shooter, who was arrested on Sunday and is facing federal and state murder charges. North Carolina General Assembly Police Chief Martin Brock told lawmakers on Monday afternoon they were “working on enhanced security plans” to keep members safe.

In Texas, state police arrested one personon Saturday linked to “credible threats” that person made to state lawmakers headed to an anti-Trump rally at the Capitol in Austin. Many Democrats got word of the shooting as they headed to similar demonstrations across the country, adding a layer of deep unease to the events.

“Nobody who has dedicated themselves to public service should ever be worried about that public service being used as a reason to murder or shoot or otherwise intimidate them,” said Michigan Rep. Bryan Posthumus, a Republican. “My hope is that it’s not an issue we’ll have to worry about in Michigan. But you know, that’s also why we have the Second Amendment.”

State police have provided daily briefings to Michigan lawmakers since the shooting, outreach that Rep. Carol Glanville said “is really helpful, because what you see on the news comes out sort of piecemeal.”

Glanville, a Democrat who experienced gun violence several decades ago, said she’s concerned the incident will keep people from running for office or volunteering in politics.

“People could be emboldened and even more motivated to participate and come out, or they might decide that this isn’t something worth risking my life for, and take a step back from their participation,” she said.

For North Carolina Minority Leader Sydney Batch, the shooting was a reminder of how she’s already had to learn how to be cautious in order to protect herself and her family. Over the years, Batch hired private security when threats were made against her, like for a 2020 election night watch party. And she was the target of a longtime stalker, who was recently released on parole after serving nine years in prison.

“You definitely have those days, like this weekend, where you consider whether or not the risk that you take on is worth the benefit and whether you should step back,” Batch said. The Democrat said she has considered leaving public office over those threats, yet “quickly jettisoned it” because she believes the work as a lawmaker is too important.

Other lawmakers expressed that same resolve to stay in the job despite the risks.

“The bad guys want folks to turn away from public service,” said Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes, a Democrat. “We may take extra precautions to make sure there’s extra security available to us. But … looking around my colleagues, this is not going to drive them away.”

Politics

Support for Iran’s team – but not for regime

Published

7 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

LOS ANGELES — The political tensions surrounding Iran’s national soccer team were on full display Sunday at SoFi Stadium, where Iranian American fans loudly booed during the playing of Iran’s national anthem before the team’s World Cup match against Belgium.

Among the crowd were several supporters displaying Iran’s pre-revolution Lion and Sun flag, a symbol associated with opposition to the current regime. FIFA prohibits the flag inside tournament venues, but some fans carried it anyway — and at least one supporter waved it during the anthem in an act of defiance.

Conversations with Iranian American fans at the stadium in Inglewood revealed a consistent message: Their protests were directed at Iran’s government, not at the players representing the country on the field. An Iranian American man from Seattle who gave his name as Majid said that he appreciated the opportunity to “confront the tyrannies that are happening.”

“Iran is hostage for the past 47 years or so to a regime that is promoting terrorism and chaos in the region,” he said. “For the team, we support them. But the anthem, the flag — we don’t support it.”

That distinction was evident throughout the match, which ended in a scoreless draw. While the anthem drew intense jeers, Iranian players received loud cheers on corner kicks and takeaways.

The game, held amid U.S.-Iran talks to end the monthslong war between the two countries, was the second of two matches Iran played in Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran. Both ended in draws.

Politics

‘Don’t count on me to say bad words’

Published

8 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The French minister for sports, Marina Ferrari, was in New York City to support her national team, which will play its second match tomorrow against Iraq. On Monday, she dropped by the French consulate across from Central Park for an event organized by Business France to discuss the opportunities this year’s three-country World Cup represents for French and American companies.

Panelists included French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo, New York City Economic Development Corporation interim CEO Jeanny Pak and representatives from the NFL and the New Orleans Saints, which are playing the first ever professional (American) football game in France this fall at a stadium in the Paris suburbs.

In prepared remarks, Ferrari talked about Franco-American cooperation, not just for major sporting events, but also for America’s 250th anniversary.

“France will be, as it always has been, at your side,” she said.

In an interview afterwards, Ferrari answered questions in English about politically outspoken French footballers, Qatari influence in French sports and the beautiful game being divided into quarters by TV commercials during World Cup “hydration breaks.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What do you think of football becoming a four-quarter sport instead of a sport of halves? Are the Europeans concerned that this World Cup has made it into a four-quarter sport?

In France, we have been working with the broadcaster and they took the engagement not to put advertising during those pauses. For us, it’s important. When we organize in the future such a competition — with the weather and with the climate change — we will have to adapt the competition. So I understand clearly why those times now exist, but in France we take care about not pushing so much advertising during this time.

You talked about sports uniting. What do you think of Kylian Mbappé and others on the team taking stances against the far right?

I think a player is a citizen like anyone, so they can express their feelings, their political views, or their opinions. It is not forbidden — but, while playing, stop when you are wearing the shirt of France. But I think they are free to do that.

Paris 2024 was such a successful Olympics. What have you talked to Americans about to pull off a World Cup and an Olympics? And how are you meeting that same level for the Winter Olympics in 2030?

I think that we’ve got to think together about the future of these Olympic Games in winter, because you know, with the climate change, having snow in the future is more and more uncertain. So we’ve got to think, how do we produce snow in the future without taking water from the consumption of the citizens. So we have a lot to do on that, because in the future I think that only a few countries will be able to organize again [Winter] Olympics and Paralympics, so we’ve got really to create a new model, a sober model for the future and for the next generation.

Are you concerned about Qatari dominance of French domestic football, given the country’s sovereign wealth funds ownership of champion club Paris Saint-Germain?

We are proud of having Paris Saint Germain. I hear this bad buzz, blah blah blah, the investors, etc. I think we are lucky to have such a club, so don’t count on me to say bad words.