WI Rep. Mike Gallagher indicates Congress departure is over death threats and swatting

Wisconsin Republican lawmaker Mike Gallagher indicated this week that his early departure from the House is because of death threats his family did not sign up for.

The Badger state representative announced that he would be leaving his post in Congress in the middle of the term last month, saying he had made the decision after talking to his family. But he did not state at the time that death threats contributed to the decision.

“This is more just me wanting to prioritize being with my family," Gallagher told reporters, per the Guardian. "I signed up for the death threats and the late-night swatting, but they did not. And for a young family, I would say this job is really hard.”

The congressman may have been referring to a swatting incident that occurred around his hometown of Allouez late last year.

Details on the swatting incident and alleged death threats have not been reported, but the local sheriff’s department assigned a case number for the swatting incident, Fox News 11 reported, and the United States Capitol Police is handling the investigation.

“Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a 'swatting' incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners,” a Capitol Police spokesperson told the outlet. “To protect the ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.”

The congressman’s last day in the House is scheduled for April 19, leaving the House with a one-seat majority. His exit is just one of many this year, as nearly 20 Republicans have announced they would not seek reelection this November.