On extremism, the Department of Justice is facing a crisis of confidence
On extremism, the Department of Justice is facing a crisis of confidence
Secretaries of state expressed concern about the DOJ's slow progress in holding their intimidators accountable, according to a new CNN report.
By Ja'han Jones
The Department of Justice has been under an intense spotlight since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Extremists’ escalation of anti-government rhetoric to physical violence has driven many Americans — including a majority of Republicans — to call for the rioters to be prosecuted. The worry among those pushing for accountability is that failing to punish political violence encourages more of it.
Secretaries of state and other election officials have been frequent targets of violent rhetoric and threats before and after Jan. 6. In a CNN report published Tuesday, several of these officials expressed concerns that the DOJ, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, isn’t up to the task of protecting them. The report fuels criticism that the DOJ hasn’t moved quickly enough to prosecute political violence.
Take Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state, for example. Last year, armed protesters gathered at her home, shouting threats and obscenities over her refusal to help overturn then-President Donald Trump’s election loss in Michigan.
Benson told CNN she’s troubled by the DOJ’s slow progress in pursuing her harassers:
She said she’s worried because there have not been more arrests. “The lack of accountability means one thing: we have to anticipate that it will continue, and then as we close in on next year’s election and 2024, I think it will simply continue to escalate, unless there are real consequences.”
READ MORE: On extremism, the Department of Justice is facing a crisis of confidence https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-...
Secretaries of state expressed concern about the DOJ's slow progress in holding their intimidators accountable, according to a new CNN report.
By Ja'han Jones
The Department of Justice has been under an intense spotlight since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Extremists’ escalation of anti-government rhetoric to physical violence has driven many Americans — including a majority of Republicans — to call for the rioters to be prosecuted. The worry among those pushing for accountability is that failing to punish political violence encourages more of it.
Secretaries of state and other election officials have been frequent targets of violent rhetoric and threats before and after Jan. 6. In a CNN report published Tuesday, several of these officials expressed concerns that the DOJ, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, isn’t up to the task of protecting them. The report fuels criticism that the DOJ hasn’t moved quickly enough to prosecute political violence.
Take Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state, for example. Last year, armed protesters gathered at her home, shouting threats and obscenities over her refusal to help overturn then-President Donald Trump’s election loss in Michigan.
Benson told CNN she’s troubled by the DOJ’s slow progress in pursuing her harassers:
She said she’s worried because there have not been more arrests. “The lack of accountability means one thing: we have to anticipate that it will continue, and then as we close in on next year’s election and 2024, I think it will simply continue to escalate, unless there are real consequences.”
READ MORE: On extremism, the Department of Justice is facing a crisis of confidence https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-...
“Some people have made comments that, ‘It comes with the territory.’ I find that beyond the pale,” Raffensperger told CNN of the threats. “What you’re talking about is not just myself, but you’re also talking about my wife, my daughter-in-law, my family.”