美国国家公共电台 NPR--The attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband reveals gaps in lawmakers' security

The attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband reveals gaps in lawmakers' security

Transcript¹

Lawmakers and election officials are feeling significantly more threatened this week after the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul in their San Franciso home.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Lawmakers and election officials are facing threats after the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, in their San Francisco home.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The attack has exposed some of the shortcomings of the security around lawmakers. The question of who should be protected and how is being talked about on Capitol Hill and across the country as law enforcement officials warn of threats to political candidates and election workers.

INSKEEP: Let's talk this through with Washington Post congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor.

Thanks for being here. Good morning.

MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR: Thanks for having me.

INSKEEP: Well, just what are the - what's the baseline here? What kind of protection is in place for lawmakers as they move around the country, talk with crowds, try to do their jobs?

SOTOMAYOR: Well, it's pretty different when you're looking at leadership in both parties and your rank-and-file members. Leadership constantly has a security presence, a number of officers who are walking with them everywhere they go, including within the Capitol itself. They have security back home, but those kinds of things do not exist for rank-and-file members. Typically, it's up to the lawmakers themselves to request money, guidance from Capitol Police to be able to secure their properties, secure even their own district offices, to make sure that they stay safe in this day and age.

INSKEEP: I understand that Capitol security would naturally follow the speaker of the House and not necessarily her family, but it was her family and it was her house. I guess there were security cameras, right? Did the Capitol Police take any responsibility or effort to keep that home secure when she was not there?

SOTOMAYOR: Well, yesterday, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger, in a pretty rare statement, actually noted² that that attack was just an example of the everyday things that Capitol Police have to deal with. So, yes, they can monitor the security cameras outside of the home, but they were not physically³ present. We know that in the days after January 6, for significant number of time, there tended to be cop cars, usually from San Francisco district police that were actively⁴ outside of the home. But that was not the case a week ago. And in that same statement, Manger said that this is an example of why they need more resources. Capitol Police, especially since January 6, have seen a number of retirements⁵ and have not been able to recuperate⁶ the numbers that they really do need to be able to protect all lawmakers on and off Capitol Hill.

INSKEEP: I research Abraham Lincoln. That's something that I write about. And there is a story in which a friend of Abraham Lincoln's sees him when he's president walking through Washington with no security. And he says, I'm worried about your security. And Lincoln essentially⁷ says, it's pointless. Adding security would be like putting up one fence rail when the rest of the fence is down. What is the point of that? When you talk with lawmakers, are they a little fatalistic about what they do?

SOTOMAYOR: You know, it has become a reality they have had to accept, especially after January 6. And a good example of just that kind of conversation hundreds of years later is something that Congresswoman Veronica Escobar - she is a Democrat⁸ from Texas - had with a friend who texted her Halloween morning, saying, please do not be in front of your house giving out candy. She says, you know, it is an honor to serve. And this is something that I have heard from many lawmakers. They want to be in office. But there are these considerations that they now have to take. And it really guilts them to see just how much worry this political climate and them being in it gives to their family and their friends.

INSKEEP: Marianna Sotomayor of The Washington Post, thanks so much.

SOTOMAYOR: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

4 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

5 retirements   

退休( retirement的名词复数 )； 退职； 退役； 退休的实例

参考例句：

• We've had two retirements in our office this year. 今年我们办公室已有二人退休。
• Those may take the form of sackings redundancies, temporary layoffs or retirements. 这些形式有开除，作为编余人员，暂时解雇或退休。

6 recuperate   

v.恢复

参考例句：

• Stay in the hospital for a few more days to recuperate.再住院几天，好好地恢复。
• He went to the country to recuperate.他去乡下养病去了。

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。