Cammack's Office Evacuated Due to Death Threats Following Abortion Ban Discussion

Representative Kat Cammack announced late Wednesday that her offices were evacuated due to "imminent death threats" targeting her and her family. The Florida Republican stated on X that the threats began following a recent Wall Street Journal article detailing her experience with an ectopic pregnancy last year.

Cammack told the newspaper that emergency room doctors hesitated to treat the life-threatening complication, fearing they might violate Florida's strict six-week abortion ban. She attributed this hesitation to "fearmongering" by opponents of the state law. She reported receiving thousands of hateful messages and numerous credible threats from pro-abortion activists, which law enforcement is actively investigating.

In her post, Cammack clarified that she did not vote for Florida's heartbeat law, as she serves in the U.S. House of Representatives, not the Florida Legislature. Her post did not specify which congressional offices were evacuated. CBS News has reached out to her office and the U.S. Capitol Police for further information.

Concerns regarding medical treatment for pregnancy complications, including ectopic pregnancies, have increased since the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, which led many states to ban or severely restrict abortion. State-level abortion bans typically include exceptions when a mother's life is at risk.

Officials in Florida and other states maintain that terminating an ectopic pregnancy is not considered an abortion. However, critics argue that confusion surrounding these exceptions has put patients at risk, as medical providers may be hesitant to act in ways that could violate their state's abortion ban. Florida state regulators issued a notice last year stating that abortion is permissible at any stage of pregnancy in Florida to save the life and health of the mother, including for women with ectopic pregnancies.

Federal law enforcement agencies have noted a rise in threats against members of Congress, judges, prosecutors, and other public officials in recent years. The Capitol Police reported investigating 9,474 "concerning statements and direct threats" last year against lawmakers, their families, and their staff.