Jena Griswold, Colorado's Democratic secretary of state who has gained notoriety over the past year for publicly refuting claims from Republicans like former President Donald Trump that the 2020 presidential election was "stolen," is asking for $200,000 in the state's next budget to pay for security staff for herself and other members of her office.
Griswold's increasingly public profile has drawn an increase in threats levied against her and other members of her office, including death threats and posting of her private information online, her office has said.
"I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP," one online message read, according to The Colorado Sun. "I SEE YOU SLEEPING. BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID."
The funding would allow for guards to accompany Griswold and some of her staff at public events, as well as hire a third-party vendor to track the threats made at Griswold and her office online.
She has also been involved in a public feud with Mesa County elections clerk Tina Peters, whose home was raided last month by law enforcement regarding an alleged security breach of elections equipment from earlier this year.
To date, no substantial proof of voter fraud or tampering has been discovered for the results of the 2020 presidential election, and dozens of lawsuits from Trump and other officials have been dismissed from courts, while elections officials have seen a sharp increase in threats toward themselves and their families over the past year.
"Like other agencies responsible for carrying out elections across the country, the Colorado Secretary of State's office has experienced an unprecedented spike in threats toward the secretary of state and the office," said Griswold spokesperson Annie Orloff. "Election administrators and workers have been the target of harassment, vitriol and violent threats."
Griswold's office says the threats have hurt hiring and retention of trained staff to administer elections.
Lawmakers who serve on the Joint Budget Committee, which will write the fiscal year 2022-23 budget when the legislature convenes next year, said they were open to the request.
"I can certainly see some need here," said Senator Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat. "We all saw an explosion of this kind of (threat) activity."
Democratic Senator Dominick Moreno said the security request may be addressed through the State Patrol, which is seeking increased funding for a team that provides security for Democratic Governor Jared Polis and the state Capitol.
Colorado's Independent Ethics Commission this year denied an offer by the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, which Griswold chairs, to provide private security for Griswold. The commission found that the state Constitution bans gifts from the group, a political action committee for electing Democrats.
Republican Wayne Williams, Griswold's predecessor as secretary of state, said he and his staff received threats during his tenure but "nothing to the point that I thought it necessary to seek funding for security."
But Williams said he knows election officials and workers have been subjected to more vitriol in recent years. He said that's part of the reason why he agreed to serve on the advisory board for the Election Official Legal Defense Network, a nonprofit that provides lawyers for elections officials facing harassment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A 2020 graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Aaron has worked as an assigning editor ... Read more
