(ConservativeHub.com) – Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a member of the Democratic Party, has spoken out against the escalating threats faced by election officials, labeling them as acts of “domestic terrorism.” He expressed his concerns during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” which was scheduled to air this past week.
Fontes elaborated on his perspective, saying that the “hard truth” is that threats against the US’s election officials is a form of domestic terrorism. He continued by describing the definition of the phrase as a “threat or violence for a political outcome.”
Fontes appeared on the show as part of a bipartisan panel of four secretaries of state, which also included Michigan’s Jocelyn Benson, Georgia’s Brad Raffensperger, and Pennsylvania’s Al Schmidt. The panel addressed the broader issue of threats to democratic processes.
The backdrop to Fontes’ remarks is a climate of increased fear among local election workers as they approach the November elections. This concern is supported by a recent study from the Brennan Center for Justice, which revealed that almost 40% of local election officials have experienced harassment, threats, or abuse on the job.
In response to these threats, law enforcement agencies in Arizona are stepping up efforts to enhance the safety of election workers. This response comes after significant incidents of threats and harassment during the 2020 election.
Fontes noted that there has been a proactive increase in legal actions. According to him, The Department of Justice is beginning to take a more aggressive stance in prosecuting these offenses. He said he and colleagues were working with law enforcement to tackle the problem.
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