US attorney asks public to report voter fraud, intimidation
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The top Department of Justice official in central and southern Indiana on Tuesday said if anyone witnesses election-related crimes, federal law enforcement needs to know.
U.S. Attorney Zach Myers said the DOJ is again running its Election Day Program nationwide, in which U.S. attorneys’ offices and the FBI take public complaints about voter fraud or intimidation. He said while no one voting issue in particular has officials concerned, the department has noted an increase in threats against government employees since the 2020 election and the subsequent lies about election fraud from former President Donald Trump and his supporters. He said that includes employees who are involved in election processes.
“Robust debate and disagreement, even vehement disagreement is part of our political process. It’s the way it’s designed,” he said. “But threats of violence and illegal intimidation are not.”
Nationwide, the DOJ is investigating six cases of potential voter intimidation in Arizona along with one report of election worker harassment. Myers said so far this election, he hasn’t charged any voter fraud or intimidation cases in the Southern District of Indiana, which covers about two-thirds of the state including Indianapolis and its suburbs. He said he personally has tried only a handful of such cases in his nearly 12-year career with the Justice Department. Still, when such cases do come up, he said the federal government takes them very seriously. Although the states administer elections, he said many voting-rights laws are federal, hence the DOJ’s involvement.
Myers said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston will serve as the district election officer. He said anyone who needs to report a case of voter intimidation, fraud, impersonation or another crime can reach her at (317) 226-6333. The FBI Indianapolis office will also take such complaints at (317) 595-4000. You can also call the DOJ Civil Rights Division in Washington on its hotline at (800) 253-3931 or submit a complaint form online.
“We all talk to each other, so if you call one of those places, everyone who needs to know is going to know about it,” he said.
If someone sees an active threat or instance of voter intimidation, Myers said they should call 911 because local law enforcement will be able to respond much more quickly.