Democratic Congresswoman's Office Vandalized After Health Care Vote

The office of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) in Tucson, Arizona was vandalized several nights ago, while the Congresswoman was in Washington DC, voting in favor of the health care reform bill.

According to eyewitnesses, the front door and the glass beside the front door of the Congresswoman's office were smashed. As reported by the Arizona Daily Star, staffers said the office alarm went off at 2:40 a.m., not long after her staff had vacated the building after watching the House vote in favor of Health Care Reform. Since the front door to Gifford's office is not visible from the street it would seem the act was not random. Congresswoman Gifford's spokesperson, C.J. Karamargin, noted that phone calls received at the office during the debate leading up to last night's historic vote were "more nasty and rude" then previous calls, with more profanity.

While no arrests have been made in the attack, one person in Congresswoman Gifford's district was quick to assign at least partial blame for the violence. "The Republicans are responsible for this anger," said Jeff Rogers, Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party. "You saw them cheerleading the tea partiers yesterday. They're fomenting this anger and violence."

In his report for the Washington Post, Dana Milback also commented on what he saw as the encouragement of anger by members of the GOP. Noting that DC police were growing concerned with the demonstrator's proximity to the House during yesterday's tea party demonstration, Milbank reported that "rather than calm the demonstrators, Republican congressmen whipped the masses into a frenzy," at one point appearing on the members-only House balcony for no apparent reason except to "incite an unruly crowd."

Rogers believes Republicans who are "fueling this anger" will pay a political price. "They will be held accountable in November."