The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 3, 2025
We recently reported on county supervisors in Shasta County, CA still clinging to debunked 2020 election fraud claims by President Trump and his allies. May 29th, a Colorado man was sentenced to three years in prison for threats he made to top Colorado and Arizona election officials, fueled by those same claims.
Teak Ty Brockbank of Cortez, Colorado pleaded guilty in Federal District Court last fall for threatening to QUOTE “hang by the neck” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and former Arizona Secretary of State and now Governor, Katie Hobbs. He also threatened a judge presiding in a separate DUI case, and threatened to shoot federal agents if they stepped on his property.
Brockbank asked for leniency during the sentencing, blaming consumption of alcohol and online conspiracy theories for his actions, according to the Associated Press.
The Brennan Center for Justice found in a 2024 survey that 38% of election officials have been subjected to threats. A Princeton University Bridging Divides tracker found 90 threats to election workers last year alone.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice division which prosecuted Brockbank, the Public Integrity Division, has been largely dismantled under Trump’s “Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government” executive order. The division has been reduced from 30 lawyers to only 5, under Attorney General Pam Bondi.
We have DOJ’s details of the case at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
U.S. Department of Justice – (2024) Cortez Man Pleads Guilty To Making Threats Against Election Official
Colorado Public Radio – Colorado man who threatened election officials asked for leniency in sentencing, got 3 years
Brennan Center for Justice – Poll of Election Officials Finds Concerns About Safety, Political Interference
Princeton University Bridging Divides Initiative – Threat and Harassment Incidents Targeting Local Officials Surge During 2024 Election
Federal Register – Executive Order: Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government
NBC News – Justice Department office that prosecutes public corruption slashed in size, sources say
Groups Taking Action:
Protect Democracy, Issue One, Center for American Progress
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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