DesJarlais’ name on list found with gunman
WASHINGTON — Rep. Scott DesJarlais’ office confirmed Monday the Tennessee Republican’s name was on a list that authorities found with the gunman who shot five people last week at a Republican congressional baseball practice.
Capitol police notified the congressman’s office 24-48 hours after the shooting that the South Pittsburg Republican’s name was on the shooter’s handwritten list, DesJarlais spokesman Brendan Thomas said.
The names of five other congressmen — all members of the House Freedom Caucus — also were on the list, according to news reports. Some reports have characterized the list as an “assassination list.”
In response to the shooting and the discovery of the gunman’s list, Thomas said “we’re reviewing security protocols with our district staff, our Washington office staff, House leadership and Capitol police. There already are a number of security measures in place to protect personnel in the Capitol and House office buildings. We follow security protocol here.”
Thomas declined to say what kind of extra security measures are being taken at the congressman’s public events. But, “everybody’s awareness is heightened right now,” he said.
The gunman, James Hodgkinson, 66, opened fire Wednesday morning as Congress members and staffers practiced for a charity baseball game, seriously wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and four others.
Hodgkinson died in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers in Alexandria, Va.
Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Ill., resident, had been living out of his van in Alexandria. His social media activity showed a disdain for GOP officials.
DesJarlais was not at the baseball practice when the shooting occurred, but Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., was and he suffered minor injuries as he fled the gunman.
“We cannot let the bad guys win. We have to protect our freedoms, that means our Second Amendment rights, our First Amendment rights,” Fleischmann said last week after the shooting. “This shooter was obviously a very bad person with very bad motives, and I’m going to continue to do my job.”
DesJarlais and other members of Congress are aware of the risks that come with the job, Thomas said.
“He’s a public figure,” Thomas said. “He’s an elected representative at time when there’s a lot of media attention on Congress. He’s used to speaking in public and being on TV.
“With that profession comes the attention of people who may wish to do Scott or anyone else here harm. That’s a reality that people on Capitol Hill live with on a daily basis. Something surprising may always be around the corner, and that’s a reality people live with all of the time.”
Contact Michael Collins at 703-854-8927, at mcoll ins2@gannett.com.