Bucks Co. Legislator Reacts To Being On 'Hit List' Of Threatened Politicians

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — State Sen. Steve Santarsiero is reacting to being named on a "hit list" of 20 Pennsylvania politicians by a man who wanted to carry out a shooting over the Memorial Day weekend.

Santarsiero (D-10) said he learned on Tuesday that a man arrested in Lebanon had posted a "hit list" of 20 Pennsylvania Democrats, in which his name was included.

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Pennsylvania State Police charged Adam G. Berryhill of Lebanon with making terroristic threats that included showing a firearm on social media, making statements about a shooting, and mentioning a “Memorial Day Operation.”

NBC News reported that some of the 20 people targeted have been identified as Democratic members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, including Joanna McClinton, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, and State Sen. Sharif Street, who is also the Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

Santarsiero said he was grateful to the local and state police who investigated and arrested the man responsible for the threats.

The Pennsylvania State Police issued a statement on Thursday in which they "stand behind the thorough investigation conducted into this matter and are confident that the threat was addressed swiftly and appropriately."

In its statement to Patch, State Police Deputy Communications Director Chris Caracino said PSP is currently reviewing the notification process utilized in the incident and is working closely with the Capitol Police, the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms, and Legislative Leaders to ensure a timely, comprehensive process is in place for all members of the state legislature.

Santarsiero said that the threat was another example of how political violence is becoming normalized in the country.

"We need to continue to speak out against that trend, and we need to address one of the root causes: a completely unregulated and unaccountable internet and social media environment that too often reinforces the most extreme content because it feeds a sense of outrage that, in turn, makes it too easy to accept violence as an alternative. Congress needs to act, and if it doesn’t, the states need to step in," he said.