A Texas man was arrested by the Department of Justice this Friday, charging him with threatening election and other government officials in Georgia. As The Washington Post points out, it's the first arrest for a recently created task force to deal with such threats.
Prosecutors say that Chad Christopher Stark posted a message on Craigslist in January of last year saying it was “time to kill” election officials. The official was not named in court documents.
“Georgia Patriots it’s time for us to take back our state from these Lawless treasonous traitors. It’s time to invoke our Second Amendment right it’s time to put a bullet in the treasonous Chinese [Official A]. Then we work our way down to [Official B] the local and federal corrupt judges,” Stark wrote, according to the indictment.
Georgia election officials have been hit especially hard with threats from supporters of Donald Trump after they refused to back the former President's bogus claims of election fraud.
READ MORE: Trump biographer has a simple explanation for why the ex-president hasn’t been hit with charges yet
The indictment says Stark named three government officials.
“It’s our duty as American Patriots to put an end to the lives of these traitors and take back our country by force we can no longer wait on the corrupt law enforcement in the corrupt courts. If we want our country back we have to exterminate these people,” he allegedly wrote. “One good loyal Patriot deer hunter in camo and a rifle can send a very clear message to these corrupt governors. militia up Georgia it’s time to spill blood . . . we need to pay a visit to [Official C] and her family as well and put a bullet her behind the ears."
The case is the first case brought by the DOJ's special task force since it was launched in June.
“The Justice Department has a responsibility not only to protect the right to vote, but also to protect those who administer our voting systems from violence and illegal threats of violence,” said Attorney General Garland in a news release. “The department’s Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the country, will hold accountable those who violate federal law by using violence or threatening violence to target election workers fulfilling their public duties.”
Read the full report over at The Washington Post.
IN OTHER NEWS: Never-issued Trump order to seize swing states' voting machines