Texas lawmakers receive credible threat of violence tied to vote for new abortion law

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety on Wednesday confirmed that a credible threat had been made toward members of the Texas Legislature saying it does “not discuss details of ongoing threats and investigations.”

Rep. Mayes Middleton’s office confirmed that DPS had reached out to the Wallisville Republican on Tuesday.

In an email to lawmakers Tuesday, Kevin Cooper, the Department of Public Safety’s chief of government relations, said the agency had received “a CREDIBLE THREAT TO YOUR SAFETY from the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a majority of you in the Texas Legislature.”

Middleton’s legislative director, Andrew Herrell, said the threat had been made against every member of the Legislature who voted for the Texas Heartbeat Act, Senate Bill 8. The legislation, which went into effect on Sept. 1, outlaws abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy in Texas.

There were 83 members who voted for the bill during the regular session, with one Democrat joining 82 Republicans in voting for it.

Threats against lawmakers for their political stances are not uncommon in the Texas Legislature.