Barrett’s office calls police after protesters ‘deface’ Lansing office with chalk

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect that a staff member — not Barrett himself — called Lansing police. The initial version stated that Barrett called police. The correction was made independently after the story was published; no outside request prompted the update.

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Someone at the Lansing office of U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) called the police, saying his office was “vandalized” Thursday by “left-wing activists.”

Protesters wrote things like, “show your face Tom,” “you support fascists” and “Don’t let kids starve Tom” in chalk on the front steps and exterior walls of Barrett’s building. A news release sent by Barrett’s office said the building was “defaced and covered with graffiti.”

“It is deeply disturbing that this happened just 24 hours after my team had a cordial and honest conversation, face-to-face, with members of Michigan Families for Fair Care who organized the rally with Sierra Club Michigan and the Climate Action Campaign,” Barrett said in a statement. “Each one of these organizations, along with the local media who actively promoted this event, should ask themselves if their words and actions have done anything to improve the discourse in our increasingly-divided country. I think the answer is obvious.”

Jordan Gulkis, spokesperson for the Lansing Police Department, confirmed that police were called and an investigation is ongoing. She said that no arrests were made in connection with protests outside of Barrett’s office Thursday. “It’s still early in the process, and we’re reviewing the details,” she wrote in an email.

Barrett is one of many lawmakers facing pressure due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Some are blaming Republicans, arguing they are to blame because they control both chambers of Congress. Some have blamed Senate Democrats for repeatedly blocking continuing resolution bills from passing unless the GOP agrees to extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.

A continuing resolution requires 60 votes to pass in the Senate. Republicans hold 53 of those seats, while Democrats hold 45. Two seats are held by independents.

There is also growing controversy over a looming pause in SNAP benefits, that was set to go into effect Nov 1., though Friday, two federal judges ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use $5 billion in contingency funds to avert the pause. On Thursday, Michigan pledged $4.5 million to food banks to mitigate the consequences.

This week, President Donald Trump called on the Senate to end the filibuster.