SPECIAL REPORT-Trump-inspired death threats are terrorizing election workers

[babylonsister]

June 11, 20217:04 AM
SPECIAL REPORT-Trump-inspired death threats are terrorizing election workers
By Linda So



June 11 (Reuters) - Late on the night of April 24, the wife of Georgia’s top election official got a chilling text message: “You and your family will be killed very slowly.”

A week earlier, Tricia Raffensperger, wife of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, had received another anonymous text: “We plan for the death of you and your family every day.”

That followed an April 5 text warning. A family member, the texter told her, was “going to have a very unfortunate incident.”

Those messages, which have not been previously reported, illustrate the continuing barrage of threats and intimidation against election officials and their families months after former U.S. President Donald Trump’s November election defeat. While reports of threats against Georgia officials emerged in the heated weeks after the voting, Reuters interviews with more than a dozen election workers and top officials – and a review of disturbing texts, voicemails and emails that they and their families received – reveal the previously hidden breadth and severity of the menacing tactics.

Trump’s relentless false claims that the vote was “rigged” against him sparked a campaign to terrorize election officials nationwide – from senior officials such as Raffensperger to the lowest-level local election workers. The intimidation has been particularly severe in Georgia, where Raffensperger and other Republican election officials refuted Trump’s stolen-election claims. The ongoing harassment could have far-reaching implications for future elections by making the already difficult task of recruiting staff and poll workers much harder, election officials say.

more...

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-georgia-threats-idINL2N2NP1RG

[atreides1]

1. Oh well!

I guess Raffensperger sucking up to Trump didn't work like he thought it would?

[Buns_of_Fire]

20. IIRC, Raffensperger didn't do much sucking up.

For a Qpublican, he played it all pretty straight.

[Karma13612]

44. He didn't suck up to

Trump.

He stood up to him repeatedly.

[spanone]

2. K&R

[2naSalit]

3. We need...

Both laws to end this domestic terrorism and enforcement of such laws.

[h2ebits]

10. +1000

[calimary]

25. So what do we DO about it?

[2naSalit]

30. Wish I knew. ...nt

[SergeStorms]

27. We need....

MF45 and his family in prison. Then all this BS will stop, hopefully.

[2naSalit]

29. It would be...

A good start to ending it.

[panfluteman]

37. We Also Need Better Education, Especially Civic Education...

So that people don't fall for this total POS Trump 45 in the first place. The lengths to which they are willing to go to do his dirty work just boggles the mind!

[2naSalit]

38. I couldn't agree more.

Since civic ed is not a core class in grade school and beyond is shameful.

[summer_in_TX]

42. Civic ed, history, and social studies all have gotten increasingly short shrift

due to high stakes testing.

[Freddie]

4. MTG's Democratic opponent

Dropped out of the race due to death threats against him and his family. Where are the investigations? Why aren’t these people facing jail time?

[2naSalit]

12. I'd be suing her for fomenting such activity.

[reACTIONary]

17. We should curtail the ability to...

... Send anonymous text messages. If a threat is sent, it should be possible to easily and quickly identify the sender.

[IronLionZion]

34. That's part of the Biden FCC plan for spam/scam calls nt

[reACTIONary]

39. Good! nt

[OldBaldy1701E]

46. But, that is the thing

No electronic communication is truly 'anonymous'. They could find out where it came from if they really wanted to. They just don't. Bear in mind that, to go after those evil 'children' might lead to some of the 'upstanding' members of the community... members who have big wallets and even bigger egos. I have yet to hear of someone actually turning their back on their own supporters, and most of the sheriffs and chiefs are either moderate, or completely right-wing. So, they might go after a few really stupid grunts, but they are not inclined to dig too deep after the fact, which is not going to do much to stop this insanity.

[reACTIONary]

50. It could be made a lot simpler..

... and if it were simple and easy, it would be harder to excuse inaction. However, there are civil rights and privacy concerns. Death threats, however, are not be protected speech

[summer_in_TX]

43. Was this in the 2020 primary? Or one of her current opponents?

I've liked and followed two people who've filed to run against her as a Des.

[Freddie]

45. Her opponent in the 2020 general election

She essentially ran unopposed.

[mountain grammy]

5. no problem

they will still support trumpublicans.

[msfiddlestix]

6. But all that is perfectly legal, especially if inspired directly from a former President who is

legally immune from any legal ramifications whatsoever.

None of us should be concerned in the least of these threats, because after all.. it's perfectly legal under "free speech".

[KS Toronado]

7. All the more reason for a national everybody "Vote By Mail" standard.

Election offices mail every registered voter a ballot, we fill it out at our convenience, we mail it back or take it back
to election office. NO electronic voting machines that can be hacked involved.

[pandr32]

22. I like this

But we need to get rid of DeJoy and any others like him.

[Thunderbeast]

8. Directly out of the Putin playbook

[malaise]

11. That is the plan

How else would his goons take over

[jaxexpat]

13. The lie that becomes true after repetition.

Instructions followed without actually being issued. Trump's creation just keeps on rollin.

[Boomerproud]

14. Document Document Document

Where is LE?

[BobTheSubgenius]

15. DIY voter suppression.

While I'm sure they are all just keyboard warriors, all it takes is one and elections will be in chaos.

[PatSeg]

16. Almost everything about the Trump administration

resembled a mob organization. Remember the threats he made about Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch? He promised Ukraine's leader that, “She’s going to go through some things.” Then later he ordered, "Take her out." That is how mob bosses talk and now his demented supporters are using the same tactics toward anyone who disagrees with them.

[DemocraticPatriot]

24. I'm still afraid to even put a Biden bumpersticker on my car...

Seven months after the election. I don't want to inspire some idiotic road-rage from a Q-publican-- people drive bad enough already.

It's so sad, what this country has come to...

[PatSeg]

32. Oh, I don't blame you

All the destructive reactions I've heard about regarding bumperstickers and political signs came from the right. They have no regard for any property other than their own. Pretty sad when we are afraid to openly display our political preferences in the "land of the free and the brave".

[Mr. Sparkle]

18. Thats pretty disgusting

Its probably happening to politicians as well, on both sides of the Isle.

I hope the orange sob is held accountable, pardon my french.

[world wide wally]

19. So, ultimately, there is no law against inciting?

[oasis]

21. Time for the FBI to step in. Big time.

[hadEnuf]

23. How about every Democrat and non-Trump worshipper arm themselves like righties do?

Just sayin'..

[kentuck]

26. We have heard reports of members of Congress fearing for their lives...

If they did not vote a certain way.

The Trump Administration was a criminal enterprise.

[NewHendoLib]

28. He certainly is followed by "only the best people".

Scum is drawing out the scum.

[ancianita]

31. Raffensberger is just an example of what "they" will do if they win again. "They" will

kill all of us under one pretext after another. Do not doubt this.
Assault in words opens a culture of political purges by murder.

[Blue Owl]

33. Wasn't this just part of the new tourism campaign?

[70sEraVet]

35. How about special Federal protections for election workers?

We have them for law enforcement officers.

[MissMillie]

36. Yeah, the RW Nut-Job site was all giddy earlier this week

Someone posted some article that Ruby Freeman had been served a subpoena... the article didn't say where Ms. Freeman was called to testify, or who issued the subpoena.

But of course, they're ready to throw her in jail.

[colsohlibgal]

40. Hold These Losers Accountable

Has to be a way to track at least some of the calls and messages. And stalking the Houses.....there ought to be law enforcement just waiting on them.

Trump needs thrown in Jail, what a dangerous evil whiny baby....hope the thought of Prison keeps him soiling his diaper.

[rockfordfile]

41. Then why don't they arrest those pos?

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

47. Lock them up, for dawgs sake. It's a crime. nt

[Tiger8]

48. How can you tell which Trumpers would kill or maim?

Trump has given MAGAts carte blanche to break any law, including to commit murder...maim and kill anybody who stands in the way of him and his authoritarian goons.

This is a terrible situation we're in now....literally 50% of Republicans are brainwashed because they actually believe the election was stolen.

They're not all killers of course -- But how do you tell which ones would shoot up a polling place in a democratic area? And I guarantee you that will happen, because it will make Trump happy to see it happen.

[bucolic_frolic]

49. Perhaps authorities could follow the money?

[gulliver]

51. As with the Capitol insurrectionists, these people need to get maximum sentences.

The article says, "In Georgia, threatening violence against a poll officer is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. Making death threats is a separate crime carrying up to five years in prison and a $1,000 fine."

So every one of these perps should get 15 years in prison and a $101,000 fine. No exceptions. Make an example of these people. And don't forget to mention Trump's name every time a sentence is handed down.

I'm really hoping Georgia's investigation into Trump trying to pressure Raffensperger into "finding" votes ends up with Trump himself spending some time behind bars.

[ck4829]

52. K&R

Last edited Tue Jun 29, 2021, 12:27 PM - Edit history (1)

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