Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recently addressed the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, emphasizing the importance of protecting election workers and officials from violent threats. The Task Force was launched three years ago in response to a surge in such threats following the 2020 election.
Garland highlighted several cases where the Task Force has successfully prosecuted individuals who threatened election workers. These include securing guilty pleas and prison sentences for men in Michigan, Texas, Massachusetts, and Iowa who had threatened violence against election officials and their families.
The Attorney General stressed that these cases should serve as a warning. "If you threaten to harm or kill an election worker, volunteer, or official, the Justice Department will find you. And we will hold you accountable," he stated.
Garland reiterated that public servants who administer elections must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their safety or that of their families. He pledged that the Justice Department would aggressively investigate and prosecute those who threaten election workers.
He also noted that protecting the right to vote was a founding purpose of the Justice Department and continues to be a key focus today. This includes investigating, disrupting, and combating unlawful threats against those who administer elections through various divisions within the department.
The Attorney General expressed gratitude towards election workers across the country for ensuring democracy's promise is fulfilled despite increased difficulties and dangers in recent years. He also thanked members of the Task Force and its leader John Keller for their dedication to this critical mission.
Garland concluded his remarks by thanking partners such as the Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security for their efforts in protecting elections and election workers. "Together, we promise the Justice Department will be relentless in defending the right to vote — and in defending the safety of public servants who make voting possible," he affirmed.