Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) faced a new wave of intimidation after a recently planned rally near his Wisconsin home surfaced in audio obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The rally was promoted during a fundraiser for Van Orden’s opponent, Rebecca Cooke, just two months after a “credible threat” forced the congressman to leave Washington, D.C., to protect his family.
The event, held less than a mile from Van Orden’s residence, ended with an organizer urging attendees to join a Democratic Party protest Thursday. “We’ll be at the roundabouts from four to seven—four to six—on Thursday night next week, and we’re also going to do a little walk, two blocks down to the other side of Van Orden’s house whether he’s there or not, having a little rally,” the speaker said.
This push comes on the heels of an earlier threat in May, when a letter targeting Van Orden’s wife, children, and grandchildren was delivered to his Capitol office. His staff responded forcefully: “This type of behavior is the direct result of increasingly radical and violent rhetoric fueled by far-left Democrats who encourage hatred rather than healthy discourse.”
The call for a rally at Van Orden’s home follows a troubling pattern. Activists have targeted Supreme Court justices’ homes, and violent acts have spread across states, including a Molotov cocktail attack on a Michigan GOP office and a fatal shooting of lawmakers in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the fundraiser’s host praised Cooke: “It’s important that we meet and know Rebecca Cooke, because once you know her, you’ll love her, and once you love her, you’ll vote for her.”
