The Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot has led to a surge in online threats against the justices involved, as per a report shared with NBC News.
Advance Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, researched and highlighted “significant violent rhetoric” in response to Trump’s posts on his platform, Truth Social.
Report exposes violent threats against justices
The report by Advance Democracy revealed that social media users have posted personal information of the justices, including email addresses, phone numbers, and office locations.
The threats include explicit calls for violence. One user on a pro-Trump forum, previously frequented by several Jan. 6 rioters, stated, “This ends when we kill these [expletive].” Others proposed various methods for harming those perceived as Trump’s adversaries, ranging from hollow-point bullets to bombs.
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A pattern of violence following legal setbacks for Trump
This spike in threats represents a recurring pattern observed whenever legal actions are taken against Trump.
Notable incidents include an attack on the FBI field office in Cincinnati by a man who had been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, following the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.
Pattern of threats against public figures in Trump-related cases
Similarly, when a grand jury in Georgia indicted Trump, his supporters posted the jurors’ addresses online. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was assigned to Jack Smith’s federal election interference case against Trump, also received threats from Trump supporters.
A federal appeals court noted this trend when it upheld a narrowed gag order against Trump in his election interference case, emphasizing that individuals publicly targeted by Trump often face threats and harassment.
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Daniel Jones highlights rising threats against Colorado Justices
Daniel J. Jones, president of Advance Democracy, expressed deep concern over the consistent nature of these threats.
“We are seeing significant violent language and threats being made against the Colorado justices and others perceived to be behind yesterday’s Colorado Supreme Court ruling,” he said.
Jones concerned over normalization of violent rhetoric
Jones, a former FBI investigator, and Senate Intelligence Committee staffer, emphasized the alarming trend of violent rhetoric becoming normalized, partly driven by Trump’s statements that seek to delegitimize court actions.
He urged political leaders from both parties to condemn these calls for violence and called on social media platforms to reassess their role in hosting and promoting such rhetoric.
Awaiting official responses amid rising political tensions
Currently, responses from the Colorado Supreme Court and a Trump campaign official regarding these developments and threats are pending.
The situation underscores the heightened tensions and potential risks public officials face in the current political climate, particularly in the wake of decisions seen as unfavorable to high-profile figures like Trump.
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