Baldwin, Colleagues Urge DHS, FBI to Notify State and Local Law Enforcement of Rising Threats Against Election Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined 21 of her colleagues in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to notify state and local law enforcement of rising threats against election workers and to highlight the federal resources available to election officials for reporting and mitigating threats.
“Based on our discussions with election officials, we request that DHS and FBI consider issuing a joint Public Service Announcement (PSA) and distributing it to local law enforcement agencies to ensure that they are aware of both the recent increase in these threats against election officials and federal resources for reporting and countering them,” the senators continued. “With the 2022 election cycle underway and the November general election quickly approaching, it is vital that election workers and law enforcement at all levels understand the federal support and resources available to them to protect themselves and our democracy.”
The letter was led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and other signers included Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).
The full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray:
We write to express our continued concern about the alarming rise in threats against election workers and to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) take steps to increase awareness of this disturbing trend among local law enforcement.
Federal agencies have taken important steps to address these threats, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) establishing the Election Threats Task Force in coordination with the FBI, but more must be done. It is critical that election workers are familiar with available federal resources and that federal and local law enforcement understand the scope and severity of the threats election officials are facing so that they can respond effectively and promptly.
We have heard that many election workers are not aware of federal resources to help them address these threats, and a study from March 2022 indicated that a majority of election workers are unfamiliar with the Task Force’s work. Additionally, we have heard that in many cases when election officials report threats, local law enforcement agencies treat them as isolated incidents, instead of as part of a growing nationwide trend.
With the 2022 election cycle underway and the November general election quickly approaching, it is vital that election workers and law enforcement at all levels understand the federal support and resources available to them to protect themselves and our democracy. We appreciate the support DHS provides to state and local election officials and the work the FBI has done with DOJ’s Election Threats Task Force, and we look forward to continuing to work with federal agencies to ensure the safety of election officials and workers across the country.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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