DETROIT – Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is set to chair the House Subcommittee on Terrorism and says despite her career as an intelligence officer even she is still working to understand the latest shift in national security.
“I really believe we have seen the end of the 9/11 era. I think after what happened on January 6, I think we have to accept the greatest threat to our national security,” said Slotkin.
She discussed the terror threats this weekend at the Michigan Capitol where law enforcement officials were on high alert over a scheduled protest.
“If domestic terrorism is allowed to flourish that will be a physical threat to our citizens so I’m trying to grapple with that and shift feet,” she said.
Slotkin was among the members of Congress briefed in the days after the attack on the US Capitol on at least three other plots to take hostage and kill elected leaders in state capitals across the country including Lansing, Columbus, Ohio and Louiville, Kentucky.
The thwarted plans eerily similar to ones made by those accused of planning to kidnap and kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year.
Michigan is clearly no stranger to domestic terrorists and extremist groups. Long a hot bed for anti-government groups the state has some of the most extensive domestic terror laws on the books.
But this weekend Attorney General Dana Nessel stated she is asking members of Congress for more help.
“I’ve talked to them about more resources in the State of Michigan in order for us to properly combat the exponential rise of these extremist groups,” she said.
Slotkin also said she does plan to attend the inauguration and is hoping the massive show of security in the Capitol is only for the short term.
After the inauguration she said finding where these extremist groups are online, and how they train and coordinate will be the first steps in curbing this latest rise in violence.