Secretary of state calls for tougher political intimidation laws

ATLANTA — In the wake of recent incidents across the country involving swatting and bomb threats, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger condemned all acts of political intimidation and called on the General Assembly to take up the original version of legislation he proposed in 2016.

On Wednesday, at least eight Capitol complexes across the country received threats, culminating in a shocking incident of swatting against a senior staff member of the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. Raffensperger stressed that such actions have no place in a civilized society and go against the fundamental principles of American democracy.

“Cowardice never wins,” Raffensperger said in a news release. “It is deeply troubling to see a rise in swatting and other physical threats. We expect heightened tensions as we head into a major presidential election. We expect American citizens to engage in the democratic process — not resort to cowardly acts of intimidation. We’re committed to upholding our democratic principles and fighting for an environment in which citizens can freely and safely participate.”

As a member of the Georgia State House in 2016, Raffensperger authored HB 790, which increased the penalty for transmitting a false public alarm to include prison time of 1 to 10 years. Raffensperger called on all elected officials and community leaders to denounce any form of political violence or intimidation and to create stricter protections using the language he proposed in 2016. Having legislation such as this as existing Georgia law would strongly deter future acts of cowardice, he said.

The Secretary of State’s office is working closely with law enforcement to investigate the recent threats and hold accountable those responsible.

“The integrity of our elections is non-negotiable,” he said. “We’re unwavering in protecting the values that underpin our democracy.”

Raffensperger said he reaffirms his commitment to protecting the integrity of Georgia’s elections and upholding the public’s right to free and fair elections — free from any form of intimidation.