Lawyer Common Merrick Garland didn’t must say any names when he warned towards threatening election staff as a result of these threats are coming from Donald Trump and his supporters.
At a DOJ press convention asserting felony prices and different actions towards Russians who’re making an attempt to intrude within the 2o24 election, AG Garland mentioned:
As I’ve mentioned earlier than, and I’ll reiterate once more at the moment, these circumstances are a warning. In the event you threaten to hurt or kill an election employee or official or volunteer, the Justice Division will discover you. And we’ll maintain you accountable. In a democracy, individuals vote and argue and debate. Usually loudly as a way to obtain the coverage outcomes they want. And the justice division will proceed to relentlessly defend the rights of all People to peacefully specific their opinions, beliefs and concepts. However the promise of our democracy is that individuals won’t make use of violence to attain their most well-liked outcomes. The general public servants who administer our elections should have the ability to do their jobs with out fearing for his or her lives.”
Video:
AG Garland talks about circumstances the place individuals have threatened election staff, “Tthese circumstances are a warning. In the event you threaten to hurt or kill an election employee or official or volunteer, the justice division will discover you. And we’ll maintain you accountable.” pic.twitter.com/ZGcZKLTvP9
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) September 4, 2024
Merrick Garland has come beneath numerous justified criticism for dragging his toes on submitting federal prices towards Donald Trump, however one in all issues that he and his DOJ have gotten proper is defending democracy.
Whether or not it’s the risk posed by election interference for hostile international governments, or the risk posed at house by proper wing extremists, AG Garland has used the ability of the DOJ to guard American democracy.
Garland didn’t have point out Trump or MAGA by identify when he issued his warning. The threats to election staff are primarily coming from Donald Trump’s supporters. Election staff have been threatened in battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan by supporters of the ex-president.
It’s Trump who turned election staff into targets with his massive lie that the 2020 election was stolen, and it’s Trump who continues to jeopardize election staff by repeating his lies.
In 2024, the Justice Division is able to prosecute anybody who threatens election staff and makes an attempt to jeopardize democracy.
