The U.S. Capitol Police are looking into the threat a far-right Arizona extremist group poses to Grand Canyon State Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) after leaders of the group posted photos and a video of the congressman’s home on social media.
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch first reported Wednesday on the online posts from Patriot Movement AZ (PMAZ) and on the decision by Gallego’s staff to notify the Capitol Police’s threats assessment team.
As Hatewatch documented, PMAZ leader Jennifer Harrison led the charge, sharing satellite and Google Street View images of Gallego’s home on her Twitter account. On Wednesday, according to Hatewatch, Harrison and two other PMAZ leaders went to Gallego’s home, where they livestreamed a video on Facebook mocking the congressman for living in a gated community despite his opposition to President Trump’s border wall.
TPM has reached out to Gallego’s office for comment.
Gallego, who has served in Congress since 2015, has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s immigration policies, saying the wall is “about dividing Americans—playing upon the racial fears and anxiety he has drummed up and amplified to rally his base.”
PMAZ is a far-right group known for espousing virulent, conspiratorial anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim beliefs. A member of the organization was arrested for assault at a “free speech” rally last November, and two other women tied to the group were arrested last spring on suspicion of burglary for taking items from a Tempe Islamic Community Center.
Gallego is not the only Democratic official being targeted by far-right advocates for the border wall. Fringe conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer has turned up at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to stage a protest in support of the wall, and was arrested Wednesday for trespassing at California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mansion.
