Washington Post: “Open hostility broke out among Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Thursday amid growing fears of physical violence and looming domestic terrorism threats from supporters of former president Donald Trump, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leveling an extraordinary allegation that dangers lurk among the membership itself. ‘The enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside,’ Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at a Thursday morning news conference. But even as she and others sounded the alarm, Republicans continued to deepen their ties to the former president, who has been impeached on a charge of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Hours after Pelosi’s remarks, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met with Trump in Florida. In a statement, the pair vowed to work together to take back the House. On Thursday afternoon, Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Trump acolyte, traveled to the district of Rep. Liz Cheney, a member of the House GOP leadership, to hold a rally criticizing her vote to impeach Trump earlier this month.”
“The events reflected the extent to which the country’s legislative branch, which has for years been mired in partisan bickering, has reached new levels of animosity just as newly inaugurated President Biden is seeking to win passage of a massive bill designed to help lift the country out of the pandemic. Some Democrats are expressing fears that Republican lawmakers – who in some cases have tried bringing weapons onto the House floor – cannot be trusted. Some have bought bulletproof vests and are seeking other protections. And Democratic leaders are putting maximum pressure on the Republican leadership to denounce freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who once endorsed violence against members of Congress. One Democrat advanced a resolution to expel her from Congress.”