Smith

The Iowa Democratic Party received death threats targeting the lives of party staff on Friday.

IDP closed its office headquarters in Des Moines and notified authorities after receiving a message threatening its staff.

Party chair Mark Smith released this statement:

“The timing of this message shortly followed the events of domestic terrorism we watched unfold at the U.S. Capitol. While the actions of extremists do not reflect the true America, the divisive rhetoric that fuels their lawless actions puts people’s lives at risk and it must end. Now more than ever, our state and nation need to unite to rebuild our fragile democracy together. As we continue to monitor the situation, the safety of our staff remains our top priority.”