Sen. Cory Booker, Family Get Death Threat; Cops Beef Up Security

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ -- U.S. Senator Cory Booker and his family have received a death threat, prompting police to beef up security at the lawmaker’s home in Essex County, authorities announced Saturday evening.

The exact nature of the threat to Booker, a Democrat senator from New Jersey, was not disclosed in a statement from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who has allegedly received death threats himself in the past.

Baraka’s office provided the following statement about the threat:

“The Newark Police Division has been notified by the United States Capitol Police (USCP) regarding a threat on the life of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and his family members. As a result, members of the Police Division’s Executive Protection Unit have been assigned to provide security at the Senator’s residence in Newark. The security detail will have no impact on police services. The USCP provides protection to Members of Congress and we are closely coordinating with the agency to ensure Senator Booker is able to carry out his duties of serving New Jersey's residents in Congress in a safe manner.”

No additional information about the threat or any police investigation was immediately available.

Booker, the former mayor of Newark, has recently taken vocal stances on issues such as immigration and the DREAM Act, the Republican tax reform bill, environmental justice, the Affordable Care Act, federal marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform.

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Photo: booker.senate.gov