U.S. charges Texas man with threatening Georgia election officials | Crime News

He has been appointed by a special U.S. Department of Justice task force that aims to stop threats against election workers.

The U.S. Department of Justice has accused a Texas man of threatening Georgia’s election officials online, according to former President Donald Trump. without evidence In 2020 it cost him the presidency.

Chad Stark, 54, was arrested by the FBI and is due to appear in federal court in Austin, Texas for threatening three Georgia election officials on a criminal charge, the department said Friday.

Stark accused him of posting a violent message on Craigslist on January 5, 2021, before a pro-Trump group. attack The U.S. Capitol building, while Congress was meeting to secure the election victory of President Joe Biden.

Stark’s post was titled “Georgia Patriots it’s time to kill.” [Official A] Chinese agent – $ 10,000 “, according to the Justice Department, which kept the names of the three state officials who were targeted.

“As American Patriots, it is our duty to end the lives of these traitors and to forcefully reclaim our country,” Stark wrote on the classified ads website, the Justice Department said. “We can no longer wait for the corrupt enforcement of the corrupt court law.”

In the year of the Capitol Uprising, there were more than 725 people, including leaders of right-wing groups. arrested and charged for crimes related to the incident. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland recently promisedto get justice and accountability for what happened.

Stark’s Garland is the first criminal case against a special Justice Department task force set up in June growing threats Against state and local election workers.

“The Department of Justice not only protects the right to vote, but also protects those who manage our voting systems from the illegal threats of violence and violence,” Garland said Friday.

FBI Director Christopher Wray added that “today’s arrest confirms the FBI’s commitment to seeking justice against those who choose to threaten violence against anyone involved in our election.”

Stark’s message called for “a good Patriot deer hunter in camp and rifle” to “send a message to these corrupt governors” and “shed blood,” according to the Justice Department.

He was accused of communicating threats between states and sentenced to five years in prison if convicted.

After losing the November 2020 presidential election, Trump falsely claimed the vote was mixed with widespread fraud and was “stolen”. Some Trump supporters have threatened election officials and staff in Georgia and elsewhere.

After losing Georgia, Trump called Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger an “enemy of the people.” Trump called Raffensperger on January 2, 2021 and he said enough to “find” a vote to change the outcome.

Raffensperger released an appearance on Friday condemning threats against election workers and calling for help “now more than ever.”

A spokesman will not comment on whether anyone in Raffensperger’s office was targeted by Stark’s threats.