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In the wake of the Capitol violence and after voting Wednesday with nine other House Republicans to impeach President Trump, congressional rookie Peter Meijer of the Grand Rapids area says he, his family and his colleagues are taking safety precautions.
"Our expectations are someone may try to kill us," Meijer tells MSNBC host Hallie Jackson on Thursday morning.
Asked if he got death threats, he said: "We're still sifting through a lot of information."
He felt compelled to vote for impeachment after the president refused to take responsibity for the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Meijer's third day in officer. He described the vote as an act of conscience.
Fear of threats had no impact on his vote, said Meijer, who turned 33 Sunday and is a grandson of retail chain founder Frederik Meijer.
"I don't believe in giving an assassin's veto, an insurrection's veto, a heckler's veto. If we let that guide decisions then you're cowering to the mob. That's the definition of terrorism...trying to achieve a political end using violence. When it comes to my family's safety, that's something we've been planning for, preparing for, taking appropriate measures."
He said he's had some experience in that area, having worked for two years in Afghanistan as a security adviser for humanitarian groups.
"I have colleagues who are now traveling with armed escorts out of fear for their safety," he said."Many of us are altering our routines, working to get body armor, which is a reimburseable purchase that we can make. It's sad that we have to get to that point."
When Jackson asked if he's taking all those precautions, he said: "I am."
