The Washington Post and Politico have recently published articles that seem to conflate Republican inquiries about controversial elections with threats of violence, perhaps to justify the controversial activities of the Department of Justice in meddling with elections.
In his article, Philip Bump of The Washington Post discusses the perceived violent threat stemming from denial of election results by Trump and his supporters, linking it to threats against election workers. He suggests that Trump’s insistence on election fraud could dangerously influence troubled individuals to act out against the results.
Similarly, Politico’s Josh Gerstein also touches on election-related threats, mentioning how a potential Trump-Biden rematch could further agitate those who believe the 2020 election was stolen.
Both articles were inspired by remarks made by Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the DOJ’s Election Threats Task Force, aimed at addressing supposed threats against election officials post-2020 election.
The overarching message appears to discourage questioning the integrity of the 2020 election, as it may incite negative actions by others. This parallels the DOJ’s legal actions against Trump over his speech on January 6, wherein he alleged election fraud and urged supporters to peacefully make their voices heard, resulting in charges of obstruction of an official proceeding.
While some argue that those questioning the 2020 election lack evidence of fraud, various irregularities have been observed, such as ballot issues in Fulton County, Georgia, illegal expansion of ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin, and acceptance of incorrectly dated mail ballots in Pennsylvania.
Overall, the articles and government actions mentioned underscore a suppressed approach to legitimate concerns about election administration, equating them with potential violence and undermining the right to freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.
