Pennsylvania lawmakers resumed their legislative duties Monday after a weekend bomb threat forced the evacuation of the Capitol building.
On Saturday evening, an anonymous email sent a bomb threat “in the name of Palestine” to every state legislator, according to an email shared with The Inquirer. The threat came just before President Joe Biden’s visit to Harrisburg on Sunday.
Capitol Police promptly evacuated the largely empty building as lawmakers had left for the weekend amid ongoing budget negotiations. The Pennsylvania Judicial Center, housing the state’s appellate courts, was also closed for the weekend and targeted by the threat.
The email threatened, “I plan on triggering one device every few hours until Joe Biden goes on national television and publicly denounces the illegitimate state of Israel.” The sender claimed to be armed and inside one of the buildings.
A thorough investigation by law enforcement, including a K9 search, found no explosives. Capitol Police continue to investigate alongside other agencies.
A second threatening email was sent to legislators Sunday evening, this time with a threat to shoot Biden and containing slurs. It was sent as Biden was returning to Washington after his trip to Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The author, claiming to be the same as the initial threat, taunted, “Good luck catching me! LOSERS.”
Eric Veronikis, spokesperson for the Department of General Services, which oversees Capitol Police, confirmed that the FBI and Secret Service were notified. He assured that there is no active threat and that officials will continue to ensure the safety of the Capitol complex.
Lawmakers returned Monday to continue working on an overdue budget deal, as the new fiscal year began on July 1.