On July 24th, 1998, just as the House of Representatives concluded debate on contentious health care legislation, Russell Weston stepped into the Capitol building, fired a gun, killing Officer Jacob Chestnut. He then proceeded into the office of Majority Whip Tom DeLay, where he encountered Detective John Gibson. Gibson was able to wound Weston and stop him from killing others in the Whip’s office (including me), but not without sacrificing his own life in the process.

Weston was a deranged psychotic who held strong anti-government views. Perhaps because his target was a strong conservative leader, there was no deep concern at the time about the political rhetoric of the day. There was only concern about the alarming lack of security that surrounded the Capitol grounds, and about the fact that two brave men had given their lives in defense of their country.

The attack on Gabrielle Giffords brought back memories of that dark day thirteen years ago. Unfortunately for Giffords, she didn’t have security to separate her from a mentally unstable person who would target her for murder. She wasn’t in the Capitol. She was back in her district, doing the kinds of things that Members of Congress are supposed to do: Meeting with her constituents, answering questions and being responsive to their concerns and desires.  Read more...