WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and election officials told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that election workers face increased threats ahead of the midterm elections, as Congress considers additional election protections.
Thousands of threats have targeted election workers, the DOJ and election officials told the committee. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson testified she and her colleagues feared for their safety after threats prompted by former President Donald Trump’s denial of his 2020 election loss.
“There is an omnipresent feeling of anxiety and dread that permeates our daily lives, and those of our families,” Benson said. “Not long ago my son, standing in our driveway, picked up a stick, turned to me and said, ‘Don’t worry, Mom. If the bad guys come again, I’ll get them with this.’ He’s 6 years old.”
