Letter to GOP senator reportedly told him to stop Trumpcare or die

Las Vegas police responded to a burglary report at the office of Republican Sen. Dean Heller this weekend and made a disturbing discovery: a note that reportedly threatened his life if he votes in favor of Trumpcare.

Police had responded to a call from an alarm company representative over the weekend when they found the letter, according to a police report obtained by the Nevada Independent.

“The preliminary investigation by patrol officers determined that a burglary did not occur to the main building or to Senator Heller’s office. However, a threatening note addressed to Heller was discovered near the door to his office,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement.

Police are currently investigating the letter, which multiple outlets report made a reference to the Republican healthcare bill currently before the Senate. According to the Independent, which quotes an anonymous law enforcement source, the note was left on Sunday around 9 a.m. by someone “asserting that he would lose his healthcare if the key senator voted for the repeal bill and that he would die if that happened and would take Heller with him.”

Heller, who publicly rejected the first healthcare bill over its cuts to Medicaid, has not yet indicated which way he’ll go on the new version. He was subject to intense lobbying and attack ads from the right due to his opposition to an earlier version of the bill.

“Well, I’m gonna take a look at the bill. We’ll read it over the weekend and come up with a decision and see if there’s any improvements,” Heller said last Thursday. “There’ll be a lot of meetings and it’ll include discussions with the governor, also.”

About 300,000 people are enrolled in Medicaid in Nevada, and its governor, Brian Sandoval, became the first Republican governor to expand the program under Obamacare. Heller has indicated he’ll vote with Sandoval on the bill.

The vote has been delayed indefinitely while Arizona Sen. John McCain recovers from surgery. Since two Republicans oppose the bill, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs all remaining Republicans to vote in favor to send the bill to President Trump’s desk.