Election workers deserve to know what the DOJ’s Election Threats Task force is doing to address ongoing threats of violence that election workers receive, especially with midterm elections on the immediate horizon. CREW is suing the DOJ after it denied CREW’s request for an expedition of records that would reveal who is on the task force, how many tips it has received since its formation and any communications between Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. Such records could significantly inform election workers on the level of risk they would be taking on should they choose to work this election cycle. 

Created with the goal of  addressing threats against election workers following the 2020 election, the task force has released little information to the public, and despite evaluating over 1,000 instances of election threats, has only prosecuted three cases and secured one guilty plea. As threats to election workers continue ahead of midterm elections, the DOJ has a responsibility to inform the public about what is being done to keep them safe.

The DOJ has yet to release any records on the task force and denying an expedition request does little to shore up confidence in the government’s alleged prioritization of elections workers’ safety. Amidst a polarized political landscape where election workers have faced threats simply for doing their jobs and ensuring the integrity of our elections, this issue could not be more urgent. It should be a top priority for more public transparency, not less, when it comes to ensuring the safety of election workers and the public should know  whether the DOJ is taking these threats seriously. 

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