Personal security costs for anti-Trump lawmakers spiked post-riot

by Lexi Lonas Cochran - 04/16/21 12:23 PM ET

The personal security costs for Democrats and Republicans who opposed former President Trump spiked after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, leading to Trump’s impeachment, according to a review by Punchbowl News of Federal Election Commission reports.

Ten Republicans in the House voted to impeach Trump and seven Republican senators voted to convict him.

Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.), one of the seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump, spent the most at almost $70,000 among multiple different security companies.

Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah.) spent more than $43,000 and Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), the third-ranking Republican in House leadership, spent more than $50,000 on security.

Trump has continued to criticize Cheney as recently as this week in the hopes of seeing her defeated in a GOP primary.

Other Republicans who upped their spending according to the analysis include Reps. John Katko (N.Y.) and Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio), who both voted to impeach Trump.

Trump has called for all the Republicans who voted against him to be removed from office.

Primary challenges involving these members will serve as a test of the former president’s clout within his party.

High-profile Democrats such as Reps. Eric Swalwell (Calif) and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) also increased security spending after the riot.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is introducing a $2 billion spending bill to give lawmakers more security in their districts and increase the Capitol Police force, according to Punchbowl.