The recent hack that exposed the personal information of Democrats in the House Representatives last week has resulted in the racist harassment of a prominent Black congressman.
In a statement issued to ABC News over the weekend, Representative Emmanuel Cleaver said he’s been receiving a series of unpleasant and “mean-spirited” phone calls from unidentified individuals hurling racial slurs at him. “I received a number of calls from N-word sickos,” the Kansas City, Missouri congressman confirmed in the statement. Rep. Cleaver has since changed his phone number and taken steps to increase security measures at his home in light of the incident.
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Last week, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee press secretary Meredith Kelly told ABC News that the committee was aware of a cyber security incident targeting members’ personal information and are working with authorities to investigate the alleged leak. Officials reportedly suspect that Russian hackers are behind the cyber attack, which House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called an “electronic Watergate.”
Ironically, the DCCC cyber hack comes just under two months after Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump publicly called on Russia to locate Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton’s missing e-mails in June.