U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minnesota, closed his Capitol Hill office Tuesday until after the November 2 election, fearing a possible terrorist attack that could harm his staff or visitors.
...Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the Senate leadership has kept senators "fully apprised" of threats against the U.S. Capitol, but he has seen nothing to prompt the need to close his office. "Given the briefings I have received to date, I do not feel the need to alter our office work schedule, or to take extraordinary steps such as those announced by Senator Dayton," Warner said. "Even when the Senate is out of session, we have a job to do to serve our constituents, and in the war on terror, we can't let non-imminent threats prevent us from doing our work.""
...Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, echoed that sentiment. "I know of no specific threat that would cause me to shut down the office," he said in a written statement.
...Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, said, "We in Congress have a responsibility to our constituents and to our nation to carry forward with our work, and that's what I intend to do."
...According to a notice circulated among Democratic senators' staff, Sen. Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota...[said] "No one in Homeland Security has recommended closing offices or closing the Capitol building. The Daschle office will remain open."
...Senior law enforcement officials told CNN Tuesday they know of "no specific or credible information that would prompt such an action," referring to Dayton's office closure.
