Those threats against Democrats over the health care overhaul that some Republicans pooh-poohed as so much paranoia?
Well, they're real enough that authorities have arrested a San Francisco man today for vowing harm against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after taking another man into custody Tuesday for threatening to kill Senator Patty Murray of Washington state.
The FBI apprehended Gregory Lee Giusti, 48, at his San Francisco home shortly after noon. The Associated Press quotes several federal officials who said the man made dozens of calls to Pelosi's homes in California and Washington, D.C., as well as to her husband's business office. They said he recited her home address and said if she wanted to see it again, she would not support the health care bill.
"After an investigation into threats made against Speaker Pelosi, an arrest has been made in San Francisco. The Speaker thanks the FBI, the Capitol Hill Police, House Sergeant at Arms, and other law enforcement officials for their professionalism in this matter," Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Pelosi, said in a statement. "She will have no further comment at this time."
As we said in an editorial, Republicans bear at least some of the responsibility for the threats with the volume and vitriol of their attacks on Democrats during the debate.
Now that people are actually being charged with the threats, we're still waiting for any senior Republican to accept that responsibility and issue any kind of apology.
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