Have Arizona election officials faced death threats?
By Ngan Nguyen
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YES
Multiple Arizona officials have recently received death threats over election issues. An Iowa man is suspected of leaving a voicemail for Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman where he threatened his life. A Missouri man is facing federal charges for threatening Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer.
Richer claimed that it is becoming more challenging to hire poll workers due to threats. The FBI recently sent out a memo warning the public against threatening election staff since it would "jeopardize the stability of the U.S. electoral process." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently warned, "Calls for violence by domestic violent extremists" are likely to increase and may target election workers.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
The Arizona Republic 'We're going to hang you': Man charged in threat against Arizona election officials
Arizona Mirror After criticizing the ‘audit,’ Stephen Richer received death threats. A Missouri man is now facing federal charges.
Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Cautions About Threats to Election Workers Ahead of the November 2022 Midterm Elections — FBI
US Department of Homeland Security National Terrorism Advisory System
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
