Law enforcement agencies are having to deal with an increase in threats to elected and judicial officials, as well as themselves, the Justice Department’s top national security official warned Sunday.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told ABC’s “This Week” that investigators were monitoring “an unprecedented increase in threats to public officials across the board.”
“Law enforcement agents, prosecutors, judges, election officials,” he told journalist Pierre Thomas. “And we’re seeing it and responding to it.”
“Just this week, Pierre, we have had cases involving threats to kill FBI agents, a Supreme Court judge and three presidential candidates,” Monaco added.
Last week, a New Hampshire man was charged with sending death threat text messages to a trio of White House candidates.
Days earlier, a Florida man pleaded guilty to a charge related to threats against Chief Justice John Roberts.
Lisa Monaco defended the Justice Department from criticism and explained that officials are facing an increase in threats. AP
Monaco explained that it receives so-called “urgent reports” from US prosecutors across the country detailing the threats.
“Many of these complaints and threats, or tips, are resolved without incident. But many also become investigations. And today, as we sit here, the FBI has opened more than 100 investigations based on those reports,” he said.
Monaco’s warning followed testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month by FBI Director Christopher Wray, during which he said he sees “flashing lights everywhere” warning of possible terrorist attacks.
Jim Jordan is leading House Republicans’ efforts to examine allegations that the Justice Department is being weaponized for political purposes. REUTERS
“I think we’re in a very, very challenging threat environment,” he said Sunday. “I think we are in a unique moment where what we are most concerned about are individuals or small groups who are often radicalized online and who are motivated and influenced by a variety of ideologies.”
Meanwhile, some Republicans in Congress have criticized the FBI and the Justice Department for political bias in their investigations, primarily into both former President Donald Trump and current first son Hunter Biden.
Monaco shrugged off those accusations, saying they “are nothing like the Department of Justice, as far as I know.”
“The Department of Justice that I know is full of dedicated men and women, investigators, lawyers, prosecutors, analysts, professional staff who get up every day… regardless of who is in the White House or who is in Congress,” he said . “It really bothers me when I hear those statements because they do a disservice to the men and women of the Department of Justice.”
Donald Trump has accused federal prosecutors of organizing a “witch hunt” against him. REUTERS
Monaco also denied that President Biden attempted to influence the investigation into his son, the special counsel’s two investigations into Trump or the examination of Biden’s handling of classified documents dating back to his time as a U.S. senator.
The deputy attorney general has faced Trump’s wrath on Truth Social in the past. Last month, he called her and other Justice Department officials, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, a “team of losers and misfits.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn