I don’t at all keep up with these things, so maybe you can enlighten me: are there different sets of laws for the murder or attempted murder of Federal officials/employees than there are for us commoners? I had no idea their lives counted more than or differently than ours.
We the people count as three fifths of they the political.
It's not that their lives count "more than" or "differently" than anyone else's. There are simply additional charges that can be brought when dealing with crimes against Federal officials who are conducting the nation's business.
This isn't all that outlandish, just as there is a huge difference between breaking into a liquor store and breaking into a U.S. Postal Service facility. If you are presented with the opportunity and must do one or the other, please break into the liquor store. The penalties for breaking into the U.S. Postal Service facility are enormous in comparison.