Politico on Thursday reported that nearly 2,000 Justice Department employees are calling on department leadership to strengthen protections for career staff facing increased threats of political violence as the upcoming election approaches.

In a letter addressed to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Assistant Attorney General Jolene Lauria, employees highlighted how individuals working on sensitive cases — such as Jan. 6 litigation, immigration cases, and high-profile search warrants — have become targets of violent threats, especially after their personal information was exposed online.

The letter, obtained by Politico, reveals that staff involved in executing the Mar-a-Lago search warrant in 2022, part of an investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents, were among those threatened.

The letter states that doxing incidents have spiked since January 6, 2021, with fears that election tensions could further fuel these threats.

The letter's authors, DOJ Gender Equality Network (GEN) President Stacey Young and senior counsel Jay Sinha argue that career DOJ employees are meant to be apolitical yet are increasingly vulnerable to harassment and violence due to their roles.

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Escalation of attacks

Attorney General Merrick Garland previously noted an "escalation of attacks" on DOJ personnel, but the letter insists that staff support remains insufficient.

To address this, the letter proposes several recommendations, including forming a specialized response team with representatives from the FBI, US Marshals, and the DOJ's Computer Crime Division and establishing a central reporting system for threats across departments.

It also calls for access to identity protection services, which one Jan. 6 prosecutor whose information was shared online described as essential.

"While Justice Department employees are unusually vulnerable to doxing and other online threats, the Department is uniquely equipped to mitigate the harm they pose," the group wrote, urging leaders to take every measure to protect staff health and safety.

The Justice Department has yet to comment on the letter, but the urgency indicates broader concerns over election-related threats, as highlighted in a May 2023 Department of Homeland Security bulletin warning of potential violence against public officials and election workers.

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