Man sentenced to prison for threatening to kill former Michigan employee • Michigan Advance

According to court documents On or about November 10, 2020, Nickels called Barton’s office and left a voicemail saying she deserved a “throat” for her statements about the integrity of the election results, which openly attacked by former President Donald Trump and his allies with false claims of mass fraud. Trump lost the state to Joe Biden by more than 154,000 votes.

“You cheated America out of a real election,” Nickels reportedly said. He then told Barton, “You’re going to pay for this,” and described how “more than 10 million patriots will surround you when you least expect it… (and)… kill you.” Nickels then threatened Barton’s family, concluding by saying, “You deserve a (expletive) throat at the knife. … Watch out (expletive). … Watch out (expletive).”

U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan said the threats against Barton “undermine our democracy by making election workers fear for their lives and the safety of their families – simply because they are doing their jobs,” adding that the ruling should send a clear message: “Anyone who tries to jeopardize the fair and free conduct of our elections by threatening violence will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable.”

Barton posted on social media after the verdict Even though more than 1,300 days had passed since Nickels had threatened to kill her and her family, his words were forever etched in her memory.

“The cold, calculating tone of his voice and the vile, despicable and sexualized language he used to degrade and humiliate me are things I hear in my head almost daily. His threat to end my life when I least expected it robbed me of my sense of security, my peace of mind,” Barton said. “There is a resilience within me that cannot be extinguished. I refuse to let this man’s words define me, to allow his perverse fantasies of violence and domination to dictate the course of my life.”

Barton now serves as Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Safe Elections (CSSE), a national organization of “bipartisan experts in election administration and law enforcement whose goal is to support policies and practices that protect poll workers and voters from violence, threats, and intimidation.”

CSSE Chairman Paul Penzone, former Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, made a statement On Tuesday, he called Nickels’ conviction a sign that threats against election officials were being taken seriously and perpetrators would be held accountable.

“Death threats like those Tina faced are never acceptable, and they endanger not only the officials who administer our elections, but democracy itself. Accountability and the rule of law are important, and we hope this ruling will help deter others from threatening, harassing, or intimidating election officials,” Penzone said. “Tina has shown tremendous courage and decency throughout the legal process, drawing on her own experience to protect other election officials from what she experienced. In her role at CSSE, she builds relationships between election officials and law enforcement, develops resources, and leads dozens of task force trials (TTXs) across the country. I am honored to work with her.”

The Detroit News quoted Nickel’s defense attorney Steve Scharg said his client suffered from a mental illness.

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“I wish we had more treatment options to help people with mental health issues,” Scharg said in February when Nickels entered his plea.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland also issued a statement saying the Justice Department “does not tolerate threats of violence against election workers, officials and volunteers. As this case demonstrates, we will vigorously investigate such threats and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Barton pointed out that threats against election officials are an “attack on the democratic principles that form the backbone of our society,” and the message to people like Nickels is “a strong one: Anyone who threatens the life of an election official will be held accountable, and the price will be high.”

“My faith in God gives me strength every day. The love of my family and friends has always given me strength and will continue to do so. My devotion to this country and my service to the citizens who live here is stronger than ever. My resolve is unwavering,” Barton said.