Democrats in key battleground districts were not amused by the Halloween “trick” played by the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Congressional districts that the GOP is hoping to claim in 2020 were targeted by the NRCC which pranked Democratic lawmakers soon after a divided House vote to formalize procedures for the impeachment inquiry.
Here’s the label on a package the NRCC sent to one of the frontliners after the impeachment vote today, from a source. The appearance of the hand delivered boxes prompted Capitol Police to come investigate pic.twitter.com/WZU5C96kmf
— Catie Edmondson (@CatieEdmondson) October 31, 2019
Predicting that the party-line vote will have dire consequences for Democrats at the ballot box in November 2020, Republicans delivered empty boxes with notes reading, “Get Packing” to multiple Democrats including Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton, Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, Texas Rep. Lizzie Fletcher and others who flipped GOP districts in 2018.
The boxes, which were not packing boxes but rather the kind used to ship packages through the U.S. Post Office, were sealed and topped with a bow, prompting security concerns and calls to the Capitol Police.
I’m told that Capitol Police is investigating suspicious packages in House office buildings that were dropped off by the NRCC after the impeachment inquiry vote.
Among those who’ve received: Spanberger, Fletcher, Schrier, Lamb
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
Also Wexton, McAdams.
The packages were sealed with a bow on them, with a note that said “get packing.” Multiple people said they looked menacing.
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
The unassembled boxes were taken through security before being prepared at the Capitol, according to Politico reporter Sarah Ferris.
Apparently NRCC folks took the flat boxes (and bows) through security then assembled them in the Capitol.
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
The NRCC thought Democrats would find the packing boxes would be “useful next November.”
We know Democrats love investigations but why are they looking a gift horse in the mouth? These boxes will be useful next November! https://t.co/LJcjF9D8KR
— NRCC (@NRCC) October 31, 2019
Wexton called out the prank and apologized to Capitol Police for wasting their time “on such an irresponsible and reckless stunt.”
I cannot figure out why anyone would think it’s funny to leave suspicious packages for Members of Congress.
Thank you to the Capitol Police for keeping us safe, and sorry your time was wasted on such an irresponsible and reckless stunt. https://t.co/Y6hF768Uaa
— Jennifer Wexton (@JenniferWexton) October 31, 2019
Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger complained in a tweet that the NRCC “pulled a ridiculous stunt, leaving suspicious packages across Capitol Hill and diverting and wasting law enforcement resources.”
The NRCC reminded her to “save the box” as she would be needing it in 2020.
Save the box. You’ll need it next November. https://t.co/2CtGOkrS19
— NRCC (@NRCC) October 31, 2019
“The incident has been cleared,” U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki said, USA Today reported.
the NRCC staffers who brought the boxes in are currently on the first floor of Cannon, being questioned by Capitol police https://t.co/XoMQy4mzda
— Alex Thomas (@AlexThomasDC) October 31, 2019
“It’s clear the NRCC didn’t take the time to think this through, given the history of actual security threats inside the Capitol building,” the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a press release following the incident.
They also announced that they would use the boxes for those in need during the holidays.
“We’d be happy to use those boxes so that our staff can run a Thanksgiving food drive and turn your hilarious prank into a force for good,” the statement read.
Liberals were naturally appalled by the stunt, calling the NRCC everything from childish to terrorists on Twitter and clamoring for arrests. Others gave some perspective, such as Hot Air‘s Karen Townsend who pointed out that, despite the need for caution given the “mentally unbalanced” in society, the boxes were labeled as being from the NRCC.
“It’s crudely labeled – handwritten and not professionally labeled – but I don’t think I would have looked at it and immediately thought of a ticking bomb inside or other nefarious materials,” she wrote, adding that Democrats in battleground districts actually “should be worried about their re-election prospects.”
“One Democrat congresswoman scolded the waste of resources since the Capitol Hill police were brought into it,” Townsend added. “I don’t recall seeing a lot of that concern during anti-Trump protests, or protests against Trump nominees inside the buildings of Congress.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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