The DOJ is investigating dozens of threats against election workers
The Department of Justice is investigating dozens of threats made to election workers, federal officials said Monday, and has charged 20 individuals so far.
The Department of Justice is investigating dozens of threats made to election workers, federal officials said Monday, and has charged 20 individuals so far.
“These are the first responders of democracy and we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who would threaten to do them harm,” said Gary Restaino, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, at a press conference highlighting the recent convictions.
Thirteen of the 20 charged individuals have been convicted. Of the ten who have been sentenced already, seven have received prison sentences of more than 18 months, “signaling how serious federal courts are taking this conduct,” said John Keller, a DOJ official who leads day-to-day operations of the agency’s Election Threats Task Force.
“This new era in which the election community is scapegoated, targeted, and attacked, is unconscionable and in addition to the obvious toll taken on individual victims, risks depleting the ranks of experienced election officials vital to the effective administration of our elections,” said Keller, whose task force helps local officials proactively search for, investigate and prosecute threats to election workers.
Two of the convicted individuals were sentenced in March for making threats against former Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who is now the state’s governor.
Rating: 5