TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)—Threatening emails sent to voters in Florida and at least three other states are attempts by Iran and Russia to undermine U.S. elections, according to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
One day after voters in Brevard and Alachua counties reported getting emails threatening them to vote for President Trump ‘or else,’ Citrus County authorities said some local voters received the emails as well.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said it “is working in partnership with the Supervisor of Elections Office to document these cases and forward all reports to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, as the lead investigating agency.”
The emails are allegedly from the Proud Boys, a far-right group who self-describes as “western chauvinists” that has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, but the group has denied involvement.
The email says they “have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure” and tells voters “[Y]ou will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you.”
The email goes on to say that they “will know which candidate you voted for.”
Christopher Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the Department of Homeland Security, tweeted that is false.
The revelation that the emails are an attack on American elections from foreign powers comes as no surprise, given the interference into the 2016 election by Russia and the warnings from U.S. intelligence officials that they would likely continue in 2020.
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