A Pennsylvania man is facing charges after allegedly threatening a political party worker who was recruiting volunteers for Election Day in Philadelphia. John Pollard, 62, from Philadelphia, has been accused of sending a series of violent text messages in which he threatened to kill the victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, according to the Department of Justice.
In an indictment unsealed on Monday, Pollard is said to have sent four threatening messages to the victim, a resident of Western Pennsylvania. The messages included violent language such as “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!” and “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER.”
The victim, as part of their role with a state political party (not specified in the indictment), had posted on social media about recruiting volunteers for Election Day to observe polling places. The post contained the victim’s full name and phone number, which Pollard allegedly used to send the threatening messages.
Pollard appeared in federal court in Philadelphia on Monday and has been charged with one count of sending interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The case is being investigated by the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office and the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, established in 2021 to address threats of violence against election workers.
This incident underscores the ongoing concerns about the safety and security of individuals involved in the electoral process. Threats and intimidation aimed at those working to ensure the integrity of elections are taken seriously, with law enforcement agencies working to protect election workers from such acts.
The Department of Justice’s swift action in this case sends a strong message that threats or violence against individuals involved in the democratic process will not be tolerated. As the investigation continues, authorities are committed to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of all individuals to participate in the electoral process without fear of reprisal.