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Unknown Threats to Democracy
Wisconsin’s Department of Justice is talking about unknown threats to democracy.
The DOJ on Friday issued an official “reminder” that it is “working to protect fair elections."
“Every eligible voter should be able to vote freely and safely,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement. “The Wisconsin Department of Justice is fully committed to helping ensure that Wisconsin once again has a fair and secure election.”
But Kaul is not saying why his office is issuing the reminder, or if there have been any specifics threats.
"DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation staffs the Wisconsin State Intelligence Center (WSIC). WSIC facilitates intelligence and information sharing with federal, state, local, tribal, and campus law enforcement partners along with fire service, emergency management, public health, military, and private sector agencies," the DOJ added. "WSIC shares on an ongoing basis intelligence on potential threats with local law enforcement and elections administrators across Wisconsin and will continue to do so through Election Day."
Kaul is not the only one talking about "threats to voters" or "intimidation."
Last month, Dane County’s clerk aired his concerns about ICE agents coming to the polls this November.
"There's been kind of complete silence from the election commission and from the AG's office about what to do in those situations," Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said during a meeting with Democrat US Senator Tammy Baldwin.
President Trump has said he will send federal monitors to some polling places this fall, but has not said anything about ICE agents. The Trump Administration has said the federal government has monitored elections for years, and any plans to monitor elections this year would be no different.
Part of Kaul's "reminder" simply spells out what Wisconsin law defines as voter intimidation.
"Threatening behavior toward election officials is also a crime. Wisconsin law prohibits anyone from threatening death or bodily harm intending to cause, or creating an unreasonable and substantial risk of causing, public panic or fear, or the interruption or impairment of government operations, including the electoral process," the DOJ stated.
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