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Oct 22, 2008 10:52 pm US/Central
Vandals Deface Minn. Congressional Members' Homes
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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At Sen. Norms Coleman's residence, spray-painted graffiti on the outside of the garage read: "U R A criminal resign or else" along with the words "Scum," which was written three times; and "Psalm 2."
CBS
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Norm Coleman's garage was vandalized on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008.
CBS
Vandals defaced the garage at Sen. Norm Coleman's home, his campaign and police said Wednesday.
Five other Minnesota politicians -- including both Republicans and Democrats -- were similarly targeted with vandalism, according to authorities.
Coleman and his wife, Laurie, live in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of St. Paul. Graffiti left on the outside of their garage reads: "U R A criminal resign or else"; "Scum," which is written three times; and "Psalm 2."
Psalm 2 warns "kings of the earth" against incurring God's wrath.
Similar words were found at the homes of three other Republican members of Congress -- Reps. John Kline, Michele Bachmann and Jim Ramstad.
Additionally, two Democratic politicians were targeted with graffiti, according to authorities: Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Keith Ellison. Ellison's press secretary said the words "traitor resign" were found written on Ellison's property.
The vandals apparently covered plenty of ground in a short time. They hit Coleman's house in St. Paul, Bachmann's in Stillwater, Klobuchar's and Ellison's in Minneapolis, Ramstad's in Minnetonka and Kline's in Lakeville.
Coleman is a former mayor of St. Paul, and has lived in the home on a residential street near the Victoria's Crossing shopping area for almost 20 years.
On Wednesday evening Coleman examined the damage for the first time. As he stood in front of his garage with his wife, Laurie, he said he wasn't concerned for his own safety, "but I've often said families should be off limits."He said the incidents reflect anger stemming from both a souring economy and a divisive election season, but he said there's no excuse for it.
"The expression of speech and democracy is not to be played out on my garage or Amy Klobuchar's garage."
Spokesmen for Ramstad and Klobuchar said they were both home overnight; Ramstad discovered the vandalism Wednesday morning. Coleman's and Ellison's wives discovered the graffiti at their respective homes Wednesday morning.
Police spokesman Peter Panos said the graffiti was reported Wednesday morning. Police were canvassing the neighborhood for clues, and Panos said he expected increased patrols around the Coleman home.
"We're considering it a threat to the senator," Panos said.
Laurie Coleman, the senator's wife, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the family's garage has been marked at least once before, but the latest incident was worse.
"This is just threatening," she said.
The U.S. Capitol police are working with local law enforcement agencies to investigate, said spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. The FBI is also coordinating with the victims' offices, the local police departments and the U.S. Attorney's Office to see if there is a federal violation, said FBI spokesman Special Agent E.K. Wilson.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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