Lori Chavez-DeRemer says family was 'targeted' with pipe bomb threat, among other Trump Cabinet nominees threatened

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) said she and her family were "targeted" with a pipe bomb threat at her Oregon home.

"Thanks to the quick response of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, we are safe. We deeply appreciate their dedication to protecting our community," Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement.

Chavez-DeRemer was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Labor Department. According to NewsNation, several other people who have been nominated for Cabinet positions have also been threatened.

Chavez-DeRemer lost her bid for re-election to challenger and Democrat Janelle Bynum. Last week, she was nominated by Trump for the Cabinet position.

In a statement, the FBI confirmed to KOIN 6 News they are investigating threats leveled at several incoming nominees with the Trump administration:

"The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement."

KOIN 6 also reached out to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office for comment. In response, a spokesperson confirmed they responded to a threat but that "further investigation is being handled by the FBI."

Some members of the U.S. Congressional Delegation of Oregon have also released statements condemning the violent threats.

“Violence and threats of any kind have no place in politics. My thoughts are with Lori and her family,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

“I’m [relieved] that Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer and her family are safe. Acts of political violence are a threat to the very foundation of our democracy and are meant only to divide us. Political violence has no place in our country - period,” Congresswoman-elect Maxine Dexter said (D-OR).

Other people threatened from Trump's prospective cabinet include U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Trump's nominee for U.N. Ambassador; former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (FL-R), who was Trump's nominee for Attorney General before he withdrew his nomination; and former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), who was nominated to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Dr. Randall Blazak, who studies political violence and hate crimes, spoke with KOIN 6 News about these threats and what they could mean for our current political climate.

"There is an element that sees violence as a viable form of political expression, and it is threatening to society as a whole. It doesn't really achieve the goals that it set out, it usually backfires on them, as we've seen in the past," Blazak said. "But it does create a kind of general climate of fear that just really makes democracy a lot harder to unfold in the normal way."

Below is Chavez-DeRemer's entire statement following the incident:

"Last night, my family and I were targeted with a pipe bomb threat at our Oregon home. Thanks to the quick response of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, we are safe. We deeply appreciate their dedication to protecting our community, especially as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. This kind of violence harms not just the intended targets, but entire communities. It is an unacceptable way to express opposition, and it will not deter President Trump and the team he has assembled from doing the work on behalf of the American people."

Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt also released the following statement to the public addressing the threats:

"Last night and this morning, several of President Trump's Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to 'swatting.' In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.

"President Trump and the Transition are focused on doing the work of uniting our nation by ensuring a safe and prosperous future. With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us."

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.