Denver — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and 28 Senate colleagues to urge U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the critical work of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from rising threats and acts of violence. The senators’ letter comes as the Trump Administration rolls back the federal government’s capability to combat foreign and domestic election security threats.
“Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote Bennet and the senators.
On her first day in office, Bondi disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which worked to address secret influence campaigns by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the Trump Administration terminated – or put on leave – dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and reportedly froze all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The Trump Administration also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
“Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” continued the senators.
Bennet has consistently fought to keep elections secure and protect election officials. In 2024, Bennet called upon Former President Biden to include significant funding for election security in the Fiscal Year 2025 federal budget. In 2022, Bennet and Senate colleagues introduced the Election Worker Protection Act to institute federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats. Bennet also urged the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to increase funding for election security grants and the Election Assistance Commission ahead of the 2020 election.
Bennet is a leading advocate for reforming campaign finance and increasing trust in our elections. In 2024, Bennet urged the leaders of Alphabet, Meta, TikTok, and X to prepare for 2024’s global “Year of Democracy” and provide information on their election-related policies, content moderation, and tools to identify AI-generated content. In 2023, Bennet joined colleagues to reintroduce the DISCLOSE Act to strengthen disclosure requirements for organizations spending money in elections. Bennet also joined Senate democratic colleagues to introduce the Freedom to Vote Act in 2023 to improve Americans’ access to the ballot, invest in state election infrastructure, strengthen campaign disclosure requirements, and ensure our elections are free from interference. In 2021, he introduced the ZOMBIE Act to require politicians no longer running for office to close their old campaign accounts. In 2019, he introduced a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United by restoring authority to Congress, states, and the American people to regulate campaign finance. He is also the lead author of the Close the Revolving Door Act, which would permanently ban former Members of Congress from working as lobbyists.
In addition to Bennet, Padilla, and Durbin, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) signed the letter.
The text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated. The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.