ST. PAUL (AP) — Vandals scrawled graffiti on the homes and garages of several members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation during Tuesday night, making both Republicans and Democrats the target of words including “scum” and “resign.”
Spokesmen for Senators Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar and Representatives Michele Bachmann, Keith Ellison, John Kline and Jim Ramstad confirmed the vandalism on Wednesday.
The similar attacks stretched across the Twin Cities and surrounding communities.
The vandals hit Mr. Coleman’s house in St. Paul, Ms. Klobuchar’s and Mr. Ellison’s in Minneapolis, Ms. Bachmann’s in Stillwater, Mr. Kline’s in Lakeville and Mr. Ramstad’s in Minnetonka.
Mr. Coleman, Ms. Bachmann, Mr. Kline and Mr. Ramstad are Republicans. Ms. Klobuchar and Ms. Ellison are Democrats.
Ms. Klobuchar and Mr. Ramstad were both home during the night, their spokesmen said. Mr. Ramstad discovered the vandalism at his home Wednesday morning, and the wives of Mr. Coleman and Mr. Ellison found the graffiti at their homes.
At the Coleman residence, spray-painted graffiti on the outside of the garage read: “U R A criminal resign or else” along with “scum,” which was written three times, and “Psalm 2.”
The Bible’s Psalm 2 warns “kings of the earth” against incurring God’s wrath.
Mr. Coleman said that he was not concerned for his own safety but that families should be off limits. He also said that the incidents reflected anger stemming from both a souring economy and a divisive election season, but that there was no excuse for the vandalism.
“The expression of speech and democracy is not to be played out on my garage or Amy Klobuchar’s garage,” he said.
The Capitol police are working with local law enforcement agencies to investigate, said a spokeswoman, Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. The F.B.I. was also coordinating with the victims’ offices, local police departments and the United States attorney’s office to see whether there was a federal violation, the agency said.