Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) told this column that there has been “a real, marked difference” in the atmosphere at the Capitol since the Jan. 6 attack.
“I have friendships on both sides of the aisle. But I have to say, even I really feel the tension,” Boyle said. “I have my own suspicions of certain colleagues of mine who are down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory and egging on the insurrectionists — people that would literally want me dead.”
... Asked whether fellow Democrats fear for Ocasio-Cortez’s safety, given her lightning rod status for conservatives, he replied, “As far as Alexandria or any other of my colleagues who seem to be the people who Fox News goes after — and none of them seem to be white males, coincidently, I’m sure — I do fear just a lone nut out there who goes down this rabbit hole, believes these conspiracies, believes the big lie.”
“It is a genuine concern. I have seen several of my colleagues have to walk around with security protection, and it concerns me. These are my friends and colleagues,” Boyle added.