LOS ANGELES – A Pennsylvania man was arrested after allegedly threatening to kill local U.S. Congressman Robert Garcia.
What we know:
The threats against Rep. Garcia, D-Long Beach, were made by 43-year-old Richard Griffin, who U.S. Capitol police say has “a history of emailing a Congressional office, as well as various government officials and law enforcement agencies.”
A statement issued by Garcia’s office on Tuesday said the suspect allegedly sent a message to his congressional office, “stating that he was going to travel to Washington, D.C. to kill him.”
Griffin was spotted by a USCP Rapid Response Team around 12:30 p.m. on Election Day and “was stopped before he could attempt to go through security screening at the Delaware Avenue Door of the Russell Senate Office Building,” according to a news release.
Garcia was in California at the time, his office later announced.
Prop 50 could hand Garcia a MAGA stronghold
Democratic U.S. Representative Robert Garcia weighs in on Proposition 50 and what it would do to his district. Rep. Garcia said he has no issues inheriting a MAGA stronghold in what would be his new district should Prop. 50 pass. (November 4, 2025)
Griffin had been the subject of a be-on-the-lookout bulletin published by the USCP’s Threat Assessment Section on Oct. 28.
What they’re saying:
“We will not tolerate any threats to the members of Congress, their families or staff,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said in a statement. “Our officers, agents and professional staff work relentlessly to bring offenders to justice. We have a zero-tolerance stance when it comes to threats.”
“Congressman Garcia is in California and is safe,” the statement read. “We are grateful to the U.S. Capitol Police and the House Sergeant at Arms for their swift action and for their continued protection of everyone who works in and visits the Capitol.”
The Source: Information for this story came from City News Service.