(The Center Square) – A top Georgia election official offered an impassioned plea to President Donald Trump on Tuesday after death threats were leveled at a local election worker.
“It’s all gone too far,” Georgia Voting System Implementation Manager Gabriel Sterling said during a news briefing. “All of it. [Former U.S. Attorney] Joe DiGenova today asked for Chris Krebs, a patriot who ran [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency], to be shot.
“A 20-something tech in Gwinnett County today has death threats and a noose put out, saying he should be hung for treason because he was transporting a report on batches from an EMS to a county computer so he could read it,” Sterling said. “It has to stop.”
Georgia has become the focus of the U.S. political scene. Trump continues to attack fellow Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in the aftermath of the presidential election, and the future of power in the U.S. Senate hangs on two Georgia runoff elections next month.
The state is in the midst of a second recount of its presidential election ballots cast. Georgia on Nov. 19 completed a hand recount and audit of the more than 5 million votes cast in the presidential election, which showed presumptive President-elect Joe Biden beat Trump by more than 12,000 votes. The Trump campaign then requested a recount.
Sterling, also a Republican, addressed Trump and incumbent U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler directly Tuesday regarding the violent threats.
“Mr. President, you have not condemned these actions or this language,” Sterling said. “Senators, you have not condemned this language or these actions. This has to stop. We need you to step up, and if you’re going to take a position of leadership, show some.”
Sterling was the second high-profile Georgia Republican on Tuesday to speak out about Trump’s actions and his rhetoric regarding Georgia. Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan on CNN urged Trump and the Republican Party to move on from their approach in Georgia.
Sterling followed suit.
“Mr. President, it looks like you likely lost the state of Georgia,” Sterling said. “We’re investigating. There’s always a possibility. I get it. You have the right to go through the courts.
“What you don’t have the ability to do, and you need to step up and say this, is stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone’s going to get hurt. Someone’s going to get shot. Someone’s going to get killed. And it’s not right. … It’s time to look forward. If you want to run for reelection in four years, fine. Do it. But everything we’re seeing right now, there’s not a path. Be the bigger man here. Step in. Tell your supporters don’t be violent, don’t intimidate.”
By Jason Schaumburg | The Center Square
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Reposted with permission
