Several Democratic Rhode Island elected officials received bomb threats via email Thursday, according to Greg Paré, director of communications at the Rhode Island State Senate.
Senate President Valarie Lawson (D-East Providence) and Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone III (D-Providence, Johnston) were among those who received threats, he confirmed.
According to the Boston Globe, the threats were directed at the lawmakers’ homes. The Globe also reported that R.I. State Police did not find any evidence of bombs at either residence.
This incident comes one day after Charlie Kirk was shot at an event at the Utah Valley University. Prominent R.I. leaders, including Gov. Dan McKee, condemned the Wednesday shooting as an act of political violence.
“I strongly condemn all violence, including the violence against Charlie Kirk, and my deepest condolences go out to his family,” Lawson said in a statement on Thursday evening.
On Thursday, three Democratic senators in Oregon also received bomb threats to their homes, which were later determined to be false threats. Multiple historically Black colleges and universities also received threats. The FBI said there was no evidence to suggest the threats to the HBCUs were credible.
WPRI reported that R.I. State Police confirmed a third local public official received bomb threats, but did not identify the official.
“I am grateful for the prompt and thorough response of law enforcement and the fire marshal's office,” Lawson said in the statement.
Ciccone is currently in California attending a legislative leadership conference, the Rhode Island Current reported. In an email to The Herald, Ciccone wrote that the R.I. State Police notified him of the threats, explaining the threat was “supposedly” placed in his mailbox.
Lawson and Ciccone were elected to lead the R.I. Senate following the death of former Senate President Dominick Ruggerio in April.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our democracy,” Lawson said. “Let us all remember that we are Americans first, and we settle our differences at the ballot box.”
Annika Singh is The Herald’s tech chief and a metro editor from Singapore. She covers crime, justice and local politics, but mainly she stands in line for coffee and looks up answers every time she attempts a crossword.
