
US Judges Urged to Prepare for Security Risks at Courthouses During Election Year, According to Reuters
By Nate Raymond
A senior security official within the U.S. federal judiciary has issued a warning to judges about potential security threats that courthouses may face as the November 5 election approaches. This caution arises from the fact that courthouses are often targeted during periods of heightened national tension.
Paul Gamble, the chief of the Facilities and Security Office at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, emphasized in a memo dated September 23 that, to date, no court facilities have been affected by recent election-related security incidents.
However, he noted that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have raised security concerns regarding events tied to the upcoming election, including suspicious letters sent to state officials. Gamble included an alert issued earlier this month by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, following reports of letters containing suspicious substances sent to election officials in multiple states. One such letter was attributed to a group identifying itself as the “United States Traitor Elimination Army.”
Gamble recommended that courts work closely with the U.S. Marshals Service and other security partners to identify local threats, coordinate protective measures with local law enforcement, and review protocols for emergency notifications and the safe handling of mail.
The judiciary’s administrative office declined to comment further.
As early voting gets underway in several states ahead of the election, which will see Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris running against Republican former President Donald Trump, courts are preparing for an uptick in election-related litigation, with some cases already in motion.
The judiciary has been ramping up security in response to a rise in threats against judges across the nation. According to a recent investigation, serious threats against federal judges increased to 457 in fiscal year 2023, up from 224 in fiscal year 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for protecting members of the judiciary, recorded this surge.
This rise in threats began around the time of the 2020 presidential election, when courts dealt with numerous highly politicized cases, including failed lawsuits from Trump and his supporters attempting to contest his defeat by current President Joe Biden.
Additionally, the judiciary is also on alert for possible cyber threats from foreign entities that could aim to disrupt election-related litigation and spread misinformation.