The Brief:

• Nearly 2,000 DOJ employees request protection from political violence and doxing as the election nears.
• The letter highlights increased threats, particularly post-January 6, affecting DOJ staff involved in high-profile investigations.
• Recommendations include specialized threat response teams and improved identity protection services for affected employees.

In a significant move to safeguard its employees from the rising tide of political violence, nearly 2,000 Justice Department workers have called on their leaders for better protection as the election approaches. This plea was articulated in a letter addressed to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Assistant Attorney General Jolene Lauria, which Politico obtained.

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The correspondence outlines numerous occasions where staff members faced threats of violence following the online exposure of their personal details. It specifically mentions those engaged in litigation related to the events of January 6, immigration cases, and individuals tasked with executing search warrants in notable investigations. A case in point involves FBI agents and a judge who faced doxing after a search warrant was conducted at Mar-a-Lago in 2022 concerning allegations against former President Donald Trump about mishandling classified data.

This surge in doxing—leaking private information online—against government officials has notably increased since January 6, 2021. Experts fear that the upcoming election could significantly worsen this issue. Stacey Young, President of the DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN), and Jay Sinha, senior counsel at the DOJ and a volunteer member of DOJ GEN, jointly signed the letter. The organization advocates for gender equality within the agency's workforce.

The Justice Department has yet to comment on these concerns publicly. However, it is acknowledged internally that its apolitical career staff have been subjected to threats and doxing due to their professional duties. In September, Attorney General Merrick Garland raised concerns about an "unprecedented escalation" of attacks targeting DOJ personnel.

These threats are not isolated to DOJ staff alone but extend broadly across election-related positions nationwide. Legal actions have been taken in states like Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Florida against individuals accused of threatening violence towards election workers.

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Highlighting a Department of Homeland Security bulletin from May 2023—which cautioned that the election could trigger violent acts—the letter underscores that department employees feel they lack sufficient support from the DOJ despite these recognized risks. To remedy this situation, it suggests establishing a specialized team for addressing such incidents and creating a unified system for reporting threats across various departments—a measure that would involve collaboration with entities like the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Computer Crime Division.

Moreover, enhancing access to identity protection services is recommended as crucial support for those impacted by doxing—a sentiment echoed by one DOJ GEN member who labeled these services as critical after experiencing online exposure while prosecuting January 6 cases.

The call for action is clear: The Justice Department must leverage its unique capabilities to mitigate these dangers effectively and ensure its employees' safety against unparalleled threats. With this united appeal for assistance from nearly two thousand staff members, there's an urgent need for decisive measures to uphold both security and morale within one of the nation's most vital institutions amidst tumultuous times.

How can the Justice Department improve protection measures for its employees facing threats and doxing as political tensions rise?

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