Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says her office is investigating threats against election officials in Wayne County, where two Republicans voted against certifying the results last week before reversing course.
Monica Palmer, the chair of the county's canvassing board, told state canvassers that she was sent graphic text messages threatening her daughter and saying "my entire family should be fearful for our lives."
Nessel – a Democrat – says public officials must be allowed to carry out their responsibilities without fear.
“If you are serving in office, whether you’re are elected, whether you are appointed, it shouldn’t matter, you should not be subjected to threats on your life. Period.”
Nessel says threatening public officials and cyberbullying are both crimes in Michigan. She that includes electronic communications and social media posts.
The initial decision by Palmer and fellow Republican member William Hartmann to not certify the votes in the Democratic stronghold of Wayne County - including Joe Biden's 332,000-vote landslide over President Donald Trump - sparked anger.
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