State elections official threatened amid anger over Trump loss

A photo of her with crosshairs superimposed over it was posted on a national website.

  • By Wire Service
  • Tuesday, December 15, 2020 6:10am
  • Northwest

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — The Washington Secretary of State’s Office has reported a threat made against a worker as efforts continue to intimidate elections officials and politicians for administering the vote that led to President Donald Trump’s loss.

Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s office learned of the threat over the weekend made against Elections Director Lori Augino, according to spokesperson Kylee Zabel.

It was posted on a website describing “enemies of the people,” The Seattle Times reported.

Augino’s address and some contact information were posted, as well as a photo of her with crosshairs superimposed over it and a note about her leadership role in a national association for elections directors.

State officials have notified the Department of Homeland Security and the state Fusion Center, Zabel said in an email.

Washington State Patrol spokesperson Chris Loftis wrote in an email that the agency is “aware of the threats, are monitoring the situation, and assigning resources accordingly.”

On Monday, House GOP Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox of Yelm and Senate Republican Leader John Braun of Centralia issued a statement denouncing the threat.

“We have recently seen shocking evidence of a threat to a Washington state election official … on a national website,” the joint statement said. “The harassment and threats to state election officials must stop. We continue to have confidence in the 2020 election results in our state and the work of Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her staff over the last several years,” the statement continued.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Northwest

Ferguson said the state would, “not be bullied or intimidated by threats and legally baseless accusations.” (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)
WA ‘will not be bullied or intimidated,’ Ferguson tells Bondi

The governor on Tuesday responded to a letter from the U.S. attorney general warning the state over its “sanctuary” immigration policies.

WA fire officials press for safety reforms amid accessory dwelling unit surge

Some units are getting squeezed onto lots without enough space to get emergency equipment to front doors. They seek changes in the state building code.

Paramedics and first responders attend to one of two injured workers at a worksite in 2024. Interpreters for the state Department of Labor and Industries serve those injured while working for an employer that is self-insured and does not participate in Washington’s workers’ compensation system. (Duck Paterson photo)
Washington interpreters demand state address more than $280K in missed payments

The state Department of Labor and Industries doesn’t pay these interpreters directly, but they say the agency could pressure companies to properly compensate them.

A ‘no trespassing’ sign on a fence outside the Northwest ICE Processing Center. (Photo by Grace Deng/Washington State Standard)
Tacoma detention center must pay for violating minimum wage law, appeals court affirms

The facility’s for-profit operator has argued it shouldn’t have to pay Washington minimum wage to immigrant detainees. An appeals court on Wednesday disagreed for the second time.

In all of 2024, the total number of Washingtonians with concealed carry licenses increased by fewer than 6,000, compared to about 14,000 already this year, state data show. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)
Concealed carry licenses in Washington jump after approval of gun permit law

The number of Washingtonians licensed to carry concealed pistols is climbing rapidly… Continue reading

Judge John Coughenour. (Photo provided by U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington)
‘It’s just so disgusting’: Judges in WA detail threats after Trump-related rulings

After Judge John Coughenour ruled against the Trump administration, local authorities received… Continue reading

Crews put in stripes on a stretch of express lanes on Interstate 405 in 2015. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation.)
New work zone speed cameras cite 7K drivers in 90 days

Thousands of Washington motorists have been caught speeding through highway work zones… Continue reading

Washington’s food banks are on the brink

Some have already pulled back on what they’re offering, as federal cuts and heightened demand drive deep worries about what comes next.

Amanda Cowan/The Columbian
Congressional candidate Joe Kent debates the issues with U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez at KATU studios in Portland on Monday night, Oct. 7, 2024.
US Senate confirms Joe Kent to lead a national intelligence agency

Kent lost two consecutive runs to represent southwest Washington in the U.S. House. Sen. Patty Murray slammed him as uniquely unqualified for the job.

Incumbent House members and their opponents have been raising money ahead of the 2026 midterms. (stock photo)
As 2026 midterms loom, Washington’s congressional lawmakers rake in cash

Washington’s most vulnerable Democrat in the U.S. House had a strong fundraising… Continue reading

A section of the Oak Creek drainage area that was not treated with tree thinning or prescribed burns before the Rimrock Retreat Fire in 2024. Due to the forest density and a high amount of ground cover, the fire burned intensely in this area, killing all trees and destroying the soil. (Photo by Emily Fitzgerald)
Drop in state funding for WA’s work to prevent severe wildfires is stoking concerns

The state’s top public lands official is urging lawmakers to restore the spending to previous levels after they cut it by about half this year.

The Washington state Capitol. (Bill Lucia / Washington State Standard)
These new Washington laws take effect July 27

Housing, policing and diaper changes are among the areas that the legislation covers.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.