Lawmakers Taking Heat For Voting For Health Care Reform

As the President touted the benefits of his health care reform in Iowa, more images emerged of the price some lawmakers are paying for voting with him.

Congressman from both parties, though mostly Democrats, have seen bricks fly through windows, received faces with nooses on them, mysterious white powder.

And then there are the phone calls.

“You baby killing mother (expletive,) I hope you die,” went one message to Democratic Congressman from Michigan Bart Stupak.

El Paso’s Congressman Silvestre Reyes told ABC-7 he and his staff felt some of the hate over the weekend from protestors on Capitol Hill.

The words used to try and harm him, racist ones.

“They called us a variety of things including ‘damn Mexicans’ and ‘effin’ Mexicans,” he said.

Both Democrats and Republicans – including the El Paso County Republican Party – have publicly denounced any threats.

When asked about the current mood on Capitol Hill, Reyes told ABC-7, “members (of Congress) are concerned. You’d have to be a fool not to be concerned.”

He added he’s never seen anything like this.

“It’s something you never dreamed would happen generally in this country, but specifically on Capitol Hill.”

When asked why he voted for the Bill, Reyes said he had 233,000 reasons: the number of El Pasoans living without health insurance.

ABC-7 left a message with Las Cruces Congressman Harry Teague’s office to see if they’ve received any threats. Our call was not immediately returned.