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FBI investigating threat against Illinois congressman

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 20, 2011 - WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-East Moline, Ill., has been asked to "lay low" while the FBI and U.S. Capitol Police investigate an online threat that offered a $75,000 reward for "assassinating" him, other members of Congress and federal officials.

"I'm pretty concerned. My wife is very concerned," Schilling told Quad Cities television station WQUD. "It's a general threat to all members of Congress, but they specifically called my name out in the threat."

Schilling said he learned about the threat after receiving a Google alert on Tuesday evening that linked to the anonymous email, which said: "I will pay $75,000 for ASSASSINATING Illinois Congresswoman (sic) Bobby Schilling and any US Congressman, US Senator and FBI, CIA and NSA DIRECTORS and their FAMILY MEMBERS regardless of their age."

While the email got his gender wrong, Schilling took it seriously because he was the only person named. A pizza parlor owner in Moline, Schilling was elected as a freshman congressman last fall with tea party backing. His 17th District extends from the Quad Cities to the northern part of Madison County.

After Schilling learned of the online threat, he notified authorities, and deputies from the Henry County Sheriff's Department arrived at his house on Wednesday morning. The FBI and Capitol Police have confirmed that they are looking into the threat.

"I'm supposed to kind of lay low, not really go out in public," Schilling told WQUD, adding that he had canceled public appearances, including a news conference that had been scheduled in Moline. The congressman said he had been told that the person who posted the threat is from California and has made other threats in the past. "It's something we're not going to take lightly," he told the TV station.

Schilling, who is married with 10 children, has been a high-profile House freshman, appearing on some national news shows. He has a mostly conservative voting record, and his Moline office was recently picketed by local members of postal unions.

Federal law enforcement authorities have heightened security for members of Congress in the months since the assassination attempt in January in Tucson, Ariz., that badly injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. Capitol Police have confirmed that they are looking into the matter but declined to discuss details.

A spokeswoman for Schilling, Andrea Pivarunas, told the Beacon in an email that Schilling "and his family are taking recommended precautions while the situation is investigated by relevant authorities. He is grateful for the professionalism of local law enforcement in responding to this situation."

Rob Koenig is an award-winning journalist and author. He worked at the STL Beacon until 2013.