A number of posts have discussed a trend that discourages public service: death threats against public officials.
With just days until he leaves his seat in Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher could be shedding some light on the reasoning behind his early resignation. Gallagher announced in February he wouldn’t be seeking re-election. Then, in March, he said he would be resigning his seat, effective April 19. In one of his last acts in Congress, the Republican — who represents Wisconsin’s 8th District — chaired a House Select Committee hearing on China’s possible connection to fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S.
After the hearing, Gallagher spoke with reporters about the hearing and the end of his time in Congress. Rep. Gallagher said, “This is more just me wanting to prioritize being with my family. I signed up for the death threats and the late night swatting, but they did not. And for a young family, I would say this job is really hard.” FOX 11 reached out to Gallagher’s office about his comments on death threats and late night swatting calls. It’s unclear if any specific incident led to his early resignation. However, FOX 11 did confirm through the Brown County Sheriff’s Office — which patrols Allouez, where Gallagher lives — a case number was assigned late last year to a swatting incident related to Gallagher. The Sheriff’s Office said it reached out to U.S. Capitol Police about the incident. In January, the investigation was handed over to federal authorities, including Capitol Police, the FBI and the United States Secret Service.