US lawmakers at war over threats

The divided US Congress united Thursday to denounce threats and violence aimed at lawmakers who voted for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, but feuded bitterly over who was to blame.
Obama's Democratic allies linked the abuse to yearlong, superheated Republican charges including claims that the law would cripple American freedoms or even usher in Armageddon, the fiery end of the world.
"The debate here has been a very angry debate, very frankly. Implications of socialism, communism taking over the government, none of which is true," Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN.
"We need to be very careful, because while that may be perceived in the halls of Congress as simply hyperbole and debate which is hot, but certainly does not encourage violence or violent actions, nevertheless, can be perceived by some as doing that," he said.
Hoyer said Wednesday that police and the FBI had been called in after more than 10 Democrats reported threats or vandalism -- including a faxed message with a noose, a brick thrown through a window, and obscenity-laced voicemail messages expressing the hope that a lawmaker would get cancer and die.