Washington Secretary of State Wyman condemns online harassment of elections director
Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman late Monday condemned a menacing website that threatens the state’s elections director as well as a list of other government officials from across the country.
The website, McClatchy confirmed, includes the officials’ photos with crosshairs overlaid, alongside home addresses, email addresses, and ticking countdown clocks labeled “Your days are numbered.”
Washington State Director of Elections Lori Augino is listed among a slate of federal and state officials such as Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon. The site notes Augino’s role as President of the National Association of State Election Directors.
The website creators claim the people on the list have “aided and abetted the fraudulent election against Trump.”
“We vow to never forget those who betrayed our country and democratic ideals!” the website reads. It also requests Bitcoin donations.
On Monday, the Electoral College affirmed the results of the November popular vote, giving President-elect Joseph R. Biden 306 electoral votes and confirming his win over President Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports. Trump has yet to concede, instead repeating baseless fraud claims as he and supporters mount fruitless legal challenges.
There had been concerns about the safety of electors, AP reports, and legislative offices in Michigan closed Monday over threats of violence. Washington state’s 12 electors cast their ballots for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Olympia mid-day Monday without incident.
The Office of the Secretary of State learned of the website over the weekend, according to a press release.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation have been notified, as has the Fusion Center in Washington state, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The Fusion Center shares threat-related information among federal and local government entities, according to its website.
In a statement Monday evening, Wyman, a Republican who was recently re-elected to her post, condemned the harassment in a prepared statement.
“This continued escalation of harassing and threatening behavior in the public sphere has to stop. Sites like this are appalling, and have no space in our democracy and the peaceful transition of power.
“Washington’s 39 county election officials rose to the challenge, working tirelessly to accurately count more ballots than this state has ever seen and ensure that our election was accessible and secure, in spite of the pandemic. Though my office has yet to receive evidence of massive voter fraud, we take accusations of such seriously. When provided evidence, we work closely with county election officials to ensure instances are investigated and a crime is charged.”
Earlier Monday, House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, and Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released a joint statement similarly denouncing the threat.
“We have recently seen shocking evidence of a threat to a Washington state election official — including a picture, home address and personal contact information — on a national website,” the statement reads. “The harassment and threats to state election officials must stop. We categorically denounce these actions and any threats of political violence.
“We continue to have confidence in the 2020 election results in our state and the work of Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her staff over the last several years. As always, we believe all credible allegations of election fraud — no matter how small or large — need to be brought forward and investigated. And anyone who breaks the law should be held accountable for their actions.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Washington Secretary of State Wyman condemns online harassment of elections director."
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