By Steve Neavling
A letter representing nearly 2,000 Justice Department employees urged agency leaders to take stronger measures to protect career staff from escalating threats of political violence as the election approaches.
The letter, obtained by Politico, was sent Thursday to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Assistant Attorney General Jolene Lauria. It details incidents where career staff have been threatened with violence following the online exposure of their personal information.
According to the letter, employees involved in Jan. 6-related litigation, immigration cases, and high-profile search warrants have been targeted specifically.
One such instance cited was the 2022 FBI search of Mar-a-Lago as part of an investigation into former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified information. The names of both the FBI agents involved and the judge who signed the search warrant were later posted online, leading to threats.
“There has been an uptick in doxing against government officials since January 6, 2021, and experts believe the election could exacerbate the problem exponentially,” said the letter, which was signed by Stacey Young, President of the DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN), and Jay Sinha, a senior counsel and volunteer member of the organization, which advocates for gender equality among DOJ staff.
A DOJ spokesperson acknowledged the receipt of the letter and confirmed that the department is considering its recommendations.
“The women and men of the Justice Department are dedicated public servants who work every day to ensure the fair and impartial application of our laws,” the department stated. “Protecting their safety and security is necessary for the Department to carry out its vital mission.”
The letter highlights DOJ leadership’s awareness of threats to career staff, who are expected to remain apolitical in their roles. In September, Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke out about an “unprecedented escalation of attacks” on DOJ personnel. Election-related threats have become a widespread issue, with the department prosecuting cases in Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Florida involving threats of violence against election workers. The letter also referenced a May 2023 Department of Homeland Security bulletin warning that the election could “mobilize individuals to commit violence.”
Despite recognizing the severity of these threats, the letter claims that DOJ staff “have not received adequate support.” It recommends several protective measures, including establishing a response team to manage incidents and creating a centralized threat-reporting system within the department. This team could comprise representatives from the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, and the DOJ’s Computer Crime Division.
Additionally, the letter proposes expanding access to identity protection services for staff. One DOJ GEN member who prosecuted Jan. 6 cases described these services as a “lifesaver” after her personal information was exposed online.
“While Justice Department employees are unusually vulnerable to doxing and other online threats, the Department is uniquely equipped to mitigate the harm they pose. We ask you to do every reasonable thing in your power to protect our safety and health in the face of unprecedented threats, and we stand ready to help in any way we can,” the letter concluded.
