The timing and reach of a social media post accusing a 黑料新闻 state lawmaker of impeding federal immigration agents are drawing the FBI, state police and Capitol police to assess the threat posed by the resulting deluge of abuse.
It is the latest and highest-profile example of what House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford says is is an all-too-common drill: divining the differences between political speech, harassment and credible criminal threats.
鈥淭hat line can be very small and thin at times,鈥� said Ritter, who estimates that half of all lawmakers will need threat assessments in any given two-year term. 鈥淲e have a protocol in place.鈥�
The shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers on June 14 had lawmakers on edge long before 鈥淍LibsofTikTok,鈥� a right-wing poster with 4.3 million followers on X, urged federal charges against Rep. Corey Paris, D-Stamford.
Three days ago, it accused him of divulging, in an Instagram post, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents鈥� 鈥渓ive location and warning illegals to stay 鈥榲igilant.鈥� He鈥檚 helping illegals evade arrest and impeding ICE. Charge him.鈥�
鈦�. 鈦�
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov)
It was reposted a day later by the official ICE account, tagging the Justice Department account. That was enough for 鈥淍LibsofTikTok鈥� to proclaim Sunday that ICE had referred Paris for prosecution.
Paris did not identify any locations where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were gathered, instead sharing unverified reports that ICE agents were active in his House district.
鈥淲hile we are still working to verify the full scope of these reports, I urge all residents to remain vigilant, stay aware of your surroundings, and, above all, prioritize your safety,鈥� Paris wrote in his post.
The @LibsofTikTok critique was viewed 970,000 times, a number amplified by other reposts. The reaction over the weekend was furious and abusive, much of it racist, friends said.
Paris is Black.
鈥淚 think the dehumanization of public officials is horrifying 鈥� and coming out of what happened in Minnesota is particularly concerning,鈥� said House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford.
Candelora returned Monday morning on a red-eye flight from Los Angeles, where he was attending a small bipartisan legislative conference. One of the attendees was a friend of Melissa Hortman, the Democratic legislative leader killed in Minnesota. Her husband also was killed, and a second lawmaker and his wife were shot and wounded in a separate attack the same night.
鈥淗er life is changed forever. I鈥檝e gone to several conferences with her,鈥� Candelora said. 鈥淧eople forget that public officials are human beings.鈥�
Whether anyone disagreed with Paris does not justify abuse and harassment, he said.
Candelora said even before the incident with Paris that state legislators in 黑料新闻 were removing legislative plates from their motor vehicles because they feared being identified.
One anonymous caller to Paris鈥� cell phone said his life and family connections were known and being distributed widely, a chilling claim, said other lawmakers.
The call was recorded by Paris鈥檚 fianc茅e. They were together in his car when his phone rang, and she answered. She used her phone to record it. A copy was provided to the 黑料新闻 Mirror.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e messing with someone that was a subcontractor for the NSA, you stupid [expletive] idiot,鈥� the caller said. 鈥淭his content is being replicated and duplicated all across Christian networks, all across Trump supporters, MAGA supporters and right wing newspapers.鈥�
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.
Christine Bartlett-Josie, a political consultant and family friend of Paris, said the FBI has a copy of the recorded call and is investigating, as are the Capitol and state police.
鈥淚t is unfortunate and alarming to be wrongfully targeted by a federal agency and even called for arrest by the DOJ,鈥� Paris said in a statement released by the legislature鈥檚 Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. 鈥淗owever, my commitment to compassion, courage, and community 鈥� and my refusal to be silenced when the safety of my neighbors is at stake 鈥� will never be shaken.鈥�
Rep. Antonio Felipe, D-Bridgeport, said angry calls and emails come with the job, but what Paris is experiencing is of another scale 鈥� as is the role of a federal law enforcement agency in fueling the abuse.
鈥淭he federal government should be a place that you go to protect yourself when you鈥檙e facing these attacks, not a place that amplifies them and calls people against you,鈥� he said.
Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, a Black and Puerto Rican Caucus member who is accustomed to online abuse as the co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over hot-button issues such as gun control, said it has become unwise to dismiss harassment as merely offensive words.
Winfield spent time with Paris, reviewing the threats.
鈥淪ome of these folks seem unhinged,鈥� Winfield said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a crazy day and a half.鈥�
Like the anonymous caller, many made clear they know where to find Paris and people in his immediate circle.
鈥淭here may not be a direct threat, but there is an implied threat,鈥� Winfield said.
Candelora, the Republican leader, agreed.
鈥淭hat is the danger of social media. It brings everyone into your living room,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know.鈥�
Candelora said the accused shooter in Minnesota did not have any direct contact with his victim.
鈥淚t was random,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was evil.鈥�
黑料新闻 Mirror reporter Ginny Monk contributed to this story.
