美国国家公共电台 NPR--Paul Pelosi's attack stirs lawmakers' fears over their own safety

Paul Pelosi's attack stirs lawmakers' fears over their own safety

Transcript¹

Following the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, lawmakers, some of whom have experienced their own threats, are expressing concern for their safety and that of those close to them.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The violent break-in at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is renewing calls to increase security for members of Congress and those close to them. Prosecutors² say the attack on Pelosi's husband, Paul, was politically motivated. Now Democrats⁴ and Republicans are worried that crimes like that may happen more often. NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo joins us now. Ximena, this attack has got to be hitting pretty close to home for lawmakers. What are they saying?

XIMENA BUSTILLO, BYLINE⁵: I spoke⁶ to a few lawmakers. And they told me that the incident has made them reflect on their own experiences. Earlier this year, a man was arrested for stalking Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington and yelling threats outside her home. Here she is talking about how this also impacts staff.

PRAMILA JAYAPAL: I think it's one thing to talk about, you know, our safety and security, which is definitely important. I also raised the question earlier this summer about our staff, and particularly staff in the district offices that just don't have the same kind of protection.

BUSTILLO: Like Pelosi, Jayapal had police presence outside her home, but only when she was there. On Wednesday, U.S. Capitol Police confirmed that they have cameras outside the speaker's home in San Francisco. But they're not actively⁷ monitored. The attack comes at a time of heightened political tension, right? Lawmakers like Democrat³ Eric Swalwell say that they use campaign funds to protect their family and staff.

ERIC SWALWELL: And I've heard from donors⁸ who have told me, look; like, we want the money to go to reelecting you, you know? And I've told them, well, you know, if I'm dead, I'm not on the ballot⁹. And I'm not going to get reelected.

BUSTILLO: Swalwell faced threats earlier this year, too. A man recently pleaded guilty to threatening to kill him and his staff.

MARTIN: Wow. So besides directing campaign funds at their own private security, which they feel necessary, at least Swalwell does, what solutions are lawmakers putting forward?

BUSTILLO: Well, Jayapal told me she is pushing for some solutions, like the ability for members to scrub their private home addresses from public records. Swalwell says he sees the upcoming lame¹⁰ duck session after the election as a potential opportunity to pass legislation that could increase funding and resources to Capitol Police or other measures, like the scrubbing of addresses. He argues that there's room for bipartisan support because Democrats are not the only ones targeted.

SWALWELL: I mean, if you look at the, you know, Gabby Giffords shooting, you know, it was also people around the congressman¹¹ - the congresswoman who were, you know, affected¹² by it. And so we all have an interest.

BUSTILLO: That is a reference to former Arizona Representative Giffords, who was shot during a constituent¹³ meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in 2011. But there are more recent examples, too. Earlier this year, GOP Representative Lee Zeldin, who's running to be New York governor, was attacked by a man at a campaign event in upstate New York.

MARTIN: So what do Republicans have to say about the kind of proposals you just laid out that are being offered by Democrats?

BUSTILLO: Many Republicans, despite their disagreements with the speaker, are wishing her husband well in his recovery. Senator Rand Paul is one of those lawmakers. And he has been pushing to protect the address of members of Congress, too. You'll recall the Kentucky senator was attacked on his property by a neighbor in 2017. And he told me in a statement that he hopes the most recent attack will lead to bipartisan support for the measure. He's specifically been trying to get lawmakers to include a bill that protects federal judges' privacy.

That bill was added to the defense¹⁴ policy legislation that's expected to pass later this year. Earlier this week, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger called for more resources to provide additional security to members. And some GOP members might agree. Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho told NPR in a statement that he has always advocated that they should have resources that they need to be safe while doing their job.

MARTIN: NPR's Ximena Bustillo, thank you so much.

BUSTILLO: Thank you.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

8 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

10 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

11 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。