United States – A high-ranking security leader for the US federal judiciary cautioned judges this week that they may be at risk of security threats to the courthouses in the upcoming election on November 5, saying that the courts are attacked “during heightened national division.”
Recent Threats and Security Concerns Highlighted
Coming through a memo written by Paul Gamble, the chief of the facilities as well as the security office of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, as he noted down on the memo reviewed by Reuters, it was dated September 23 that there had not been any effect on the court facilities arising from any recent security events related to the election, as reported by Reuters.
However, he said that the judicial system had been notified by law enforcement and intelligence agencies “about security concerns related to events and incidents connected to the upcoming election, including recent suspicious letters sent to state officials.”
FBI and Postal Inspection Service Alerts
He also included an alert the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service released earlier this month after election officials in several states received letters containing threatening substances. The alert included a photo of one such letter from a sender with the name “United States Traitor Elimination Army.”
Recommendations for Enhanced Security Measures
Gamble recommended that courts inform the U.S. Marshals Service and others involved in security planning about possible local threats, coordinate with local law enforcement regarding protective measures that could be employed, and confirm procedures for warning the public and addressing any potential threat to mail delivery.
The Administrative Office, which serves as the administrative branch of the judiciary, declined to comment.
Some states have opened their polls for early voters in preparation for the Nov. 5 election, where they have the democrats vice President Kamala Harris contesting against the GOP former president Donald Trump in the presidential election.
Some election litigations have already started, and the courts are preparing for more election cases in the coming days.
Increased Threats Against Federal Judges
The judiciary has tried to enhance security in recent times following threats to judges across the country, as highlighted in a Reuters story. The number of serious threats against federal judges increased to 457 during the fiscal year of 2023, which ended on September 30th, from 224 in the previous year’s fiscal year. The figures are courtesy of the Marshals Service, which is responsible for the protection of members of the judiciary.
The spike covered a timeframe starting with the elections to the US presidency in 2020 when courts reviewed a number of heavily politicalized cases, including unsuccessful attempts by Trump and his allies to challenge Biden, the current head of state in the United States, as reported by Reuters.
To counter these risks, the judiciary is protecting itself from cyber threats from foreign actors who might be interested in interfering with election-related litigation or spreading false information.