Rep. Dana Rohrabacher receives death threats over immigrant bill
By: Associated Press | ∞
HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The offices of Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher received dozens of threatening telephone calls, including one death threat Tuesday, after he authored a bill that would limit health care services for immigrants.
The threats began after someone who claimed to be from a New York radio station left a message seeking to speak to Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, regarding H.R. 3722, which he introduced last week.
The information was later turned over to police.
"They have filed a report," said police Lt. Tom Donnelly, referring to Rohrabacher's staff members. "It will be forwarded to our detectives. Whether or not there's a follow up, I don't know yet."
The bill would require hospitals to report a patient's immigration status in order for it to be reimbursed for treatment. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security to open deportation proceedings against any patient found to be in the United States illegally.
It started shortly after 8 a.m., when there was a call left on the voice mail at Rohrbacher's office from the radio station that had criticized Rohrabacher's bill. The office received so many calls they stopped answering the phone, said Rohrbacher's assistant, Kathleen Hollingsworth.
Staffers then listened to voice mails left at the office, one of which said, "I'm coming to kill you," Hollingsworth said.
"These threats are very alarming. This is not just somebody I've angered and who's expressing some hostility. These are gruesome threats that I will be attacked and killed," Rohrabacher said.
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