The FBI and Denver police are investigating the wave of threats against Colorado Supreme Court justices after their ruling last week disqualifying Donald Trump from appearing on the state ballot for engaging in an insurrection.
The court’s decision on Dec. 19 set off a firestorm of criticism from the former president on his social media platform, Truth Social. Like clockwork, a barrage of threats against the justices ensued, NBC reported last week, citing a report compiled by Advance Democracy, a nonpartisan organization that conducts public interest research. In the 24 hours following the ruling, Advance Democracy identified “significant violent rhetoric” against the justices and against Democrats, including posts of the justices’ contact information and office addresses, according to NBC News.
Daniel J. Jones, the group’s president, told NBC News that Trump’s efforts to “delegitimize and politicize the actions of the courts” are a “key driver of the violent rhetoric.”
In response to the threats, Denver police are “providing extra patrols around justices’ residences,” a spokesperson for the Denver Police Department told Axios on Monday. The FBI told CNN it “is aware of the situation and working with local law enforcement.”
Time and time again, public officials singled out by Trump and his allies have reported massive upticks in threats against them, their offices, their staff and even their families. For example, his unfounded claims about Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing Trump’s New York civil fraud trial, and Engoron’s clerk have resulted in the judge’s staff receiving threats and harassment “on a daily basis,” court officials said in a filing in November.
Jones’ comments echo similar warnings about the increase in violent rhetoric against public officials. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told ABC News’ Pierre Thomas last week that the Justice Department has seen an “unprecedented rise” in such threats.
“Just this week, we’ve had cases involving threats to kill FBI agents, a Supreme Court justice, and three presidential candidates,” she said, without mentioning the names of those targeted. “That’s just this week.”
Monaco also said that comments such as the one Trump made about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of the country — which he was roundly condemned for — are “not helpful,” though neither she nor Thomas named him directly.
These warnings have not deterred Trump, who has continued to validate and implicitly encourage such rhetoric against those he regards as enemies. Nonetheless, he has indicated that he’d have no problem weaponizing the Justice Department against his foes, should he win re-election next year.
