Update 10/22/2020: CBS News now reports that the emails in question came from overseas servers based in Estonia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates–and not the Proud Boys. The FBI now believes that those servers were used as relay servers to conceal the true identity of the email sender. The Intelligence Agency also suspects that a foreign entity, likely Russia, is behind the emails as part of an ongoing campaign of misinformation aimed at aiding the Trump Campaign.
The attack on democracy–not to mention human decency–by the far-right group The Proud Boys continues, this time in the state of Florida. Registered Democrats in the state have reported receiving threatening emails from the group, which compel voters to vote Republican or face violent consequences.
Queer rights group Equality Florida reports that a voter–who will remain anonymous for his protection–received an email earlier this week. “We are in possession of all your information,” it reads. “You are currently registered as a Democrat and we know this because we have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure. You will vote for Trump on election day or we will come after you. Change your party affiliation to Republican to let us know you received our message and will copy. We will know which candidate you voted for. I would take this seriously if I were you.”
Equality Florida reports that the voter in question lives in Alachua County. Similar emails have also been reported in Brevard County.
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Related: The Proud Boys spew hateful garbage at kids attending an all-ages drag show
“This is an outrageous case of voter intimidation just 14 days before the most consequential Presidential election of our lifetimes,” said Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida. “The Proud Boys are among a cohort of dangerous, violent extremist groups who are working overtime to intimidate voters and depress turnout. We’re calling on federal officials to conduct a swift and thorough investigation, identify the source of this intimidation, and put a stop to it. If these emails did originate from the Proud Boys, it would amount to a grave attack on democracy by one of the most prominent hate groups in the country with the goal of helping secure Donald Trump’s re-election. This moment calls for all of us to stand tall in the face of hate, denounce these attempts at intimidation, and demand justice for those trying to exercise the most fundamental right in our country.”
Voter intimidation is an ongoing concern in Florida, one of the nation’s key swing states. Equality Florida also reports on instances of demonstrators playing loud music and blocking parking spaces at polls in St. Petersberg, while Miami police are disciplining an officer for wearing a pro-Trump mask while in uniform patrolling a polling location.
The Proud Boys have been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Recently, the group became the target of queer activism when gay men began hijacking the #proudboys moniker on social media.
Update 10/22/2020: CBS News now reports that the emails in question came from overseas servers based in Estonia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The FBI now speculates that those servers were used as relay servers to conceal the true identity of the email sender. The Intelligence Agency also suspects that a foreign entity, likely Russia, is behind the emails as part of an ongoing campaign of misinformation aimed at aiding the Trump Campaign.
Liquid Silver
So you’re going to attack the majority of people? Good luck with that.
FunInTheSack
love how less than 8 years of Trump taking office Biden was vocal about his support AGAINST gay marriage.
That was in 2008.
At what point does someone’s view change? Is It 1 year? 2 years? Or after he is peddling for votes?
Anyone show me one quote from Trump being against gay marriage. One quote.
There are tons of quote from Biden against gay marriage.
Most noticeable Biden’s backing, support etc on the debate stage with Sarah Palin both agreeing no to gay marriage.
I’ll wait for someone to provide a quote from Trump against gay marriage.
Waiting…
Waiting…
Waiting…
DarkZephyr
@IntheSack, how about when he was running for president in 2016 and he said in a Fox News interview that he would “strongly consider” appointing Supreme Court Justices that would overturn marriage equality? Now look at what kind of justices he keeps nominating!
Chris Wallace: “But — but just to button this up very quickly, sir, are you saying that if you become president, you might try to appoint justices to overrule the decision on same-sex marriage?”
Trump: “I would strongly consider that, yes.” Fox News Sunday, 1/31/2016
812rls
@notsofuninthesack Words and actions are two different things. Look at Trump’s actions.
Cam
@FunInTheSack
LOL!!! Republican trolls panicking. Sweetie, we remember, Biden was the first high Obama official to push for marriage, and the administration followed his lead.
Meanwhile Trump said he would appoint judges to attack LGBTQ rights, and has done that.
Tell Putin to put better trolls on this website, this audience is too smart for you.
Terrycloth
I love how the doofus president says “I don’t know the proud boys !” Oh really? The president , the leader of the free world who has the FBI and the CIA at his fingertips dosent know the proud boys. The average person.can just type in Proud Boys into Google search bar…well
Whaddya know…there it is.
Catholicslutbox
Fully endorsed by trump. Dark times. Dark times.
Guess we’ll have to deal with him for another eight years.
FunInTheSack
Shows how ignorant you are.
So Queerty is guilty of spreading Fake News. This has been confirmed by the FBI as fake.
Though crickets from Queerty over the ‘Nodding Lady’ at Trump’s town hall meeting and the death threats against her, and the law firm she works for.
That’s voter suppression.
And real.
Yet no coverage. Your journalism bias is showing.
That’s why Trump will win.
Trump20202
#GaysForTrump
#WehoForTrump
Cam
@FunInTheSack
So Trump’s employee tried to help out Trump.
Nice try. People in Congress already pointed out where Trump’s guy’s comments didn’t match what they were told.
SnakeyJ
Someone is trolling. Who would believe this is real?
Catholicslutbox
It’s on every news outlet.
Officials are saying Iran was behind the emails, but why would they be? If anything, I’d suspect Russia. Putin and trump have major h*rd-*ns for each other.
812rls
I agree. @notsofuninthesack is trolling
frapachino
Queerty working hand in hand with the Iranian henchmen to spread propaganda in America! Unbelievable!
Cam
So the foreign Trump troll account tries the BRILIANT “I know you are but what am I?” defense.
Nice try on switching back to this worn out screename when we figured out FunInTheSack was you.
Tombear
This article is fake news. The Emails were from Ukrainian Servers. Research your articles better!
Cam
That’s funny, Trump is claiming they’re Iranian.
Can you foreign trolls please talk to the White House and get your stories straight before you come here?
DarkZephyr
Tombear, didn’t you admit under some other article here that you’re voting for Trump for the sake of your money?
Archie
The FBI just had a press conference and said Russia sent the messages. Never believe what you see on the internet (except what I just said).
812rls
FBI was there but said nothing. Answered no questions. Only this politically biased press conference from DNI Trump-appointed leader. Don’t believe anything… question everything. Read between the lines. But don’t teeter into conspiracy theories.
Cam
Except you’re lying. Trump’s guy at the FBI didn’t say that.
Openminded
So, if they had accessed the voter infrastructure, why send threats? Just change everyone’s votes to the candidate of their choice. Anybody who lets these emails change their vote to Trump, deserves him.
812rls
Agreed, massive disinformation campaign to sew discord and confusion… perhaps so the results of the election can be contested??? We’ll see.
Prax07
@Notfuninthesack Please go off yourself, and maybe take schlumpie and fly-boy with you. You all can have a blast giving Satan head once you three get to hell.
FunInTheSack
Proving once again the hate stems from you.
You’re everything you claim to hate.
Self-projecting at its best.
Trump2020!!!!
Cam
@FunInTheSack
Translation: As long as racists and bigots smile while they attack us they aren’t coming from a place of hate.
LOL! Wow, you’re REALLY bad at this.
cuteguy
These emails are coming from Iran. It’s being widely reported from the US Intelligence Committee that it’s coming from Iran trying to intimidate democrats. Even Donald Chump acknowledged it was Iran but in true Chump fashion, he falsely claims that it was made to hurt him. That’s just textbook clinical narcissistic behavior. We all know that about Donald Chump
Cam
You can see the foreign trolls are panicking and trying to help Trump.
Look at how many of them hit this thread compared to others over the past few weeks.
ChrisGMN
Queerty, YOU are part of the problem by spreading fake news. It was Iran, not the Proud Boys, who sent these emails. Jesus, do you just post any crap you see, or do you actually do any research??
Cam
So you’re admitting that Iran wants to help Trump?
FunInTheSack
Cam. Give up up the foreign troll accosting simply because someone doesn’t agree with you.
I live in West Hollywood. What would you like me to tell you to prove? Cruising the restroom outside Crunch?
It’s old. It’s tiring. And no, no Trump supporters are panicking.
The Biden ties to China are getting exciting.
#GaysForTrump
Kangol2
@FunkIntheSack, the Chinese ties are Drumpf’s. He’s the one with the secret bank account in China, the one who paid more in taxes to China than to the US federal government, the one whose daughter got tons of patents from China once he took office, the one who groveled before Xi and begged for his help in getting reelected, according to conservative John Bolton, and on and on. Your beloved Don the Con is a dupe: a dupe for Russia, for China, for Turkey, for Saudi Arabia, for his “favorite dictator” in Egypt, and on and on. But you keep feasting on Russian disinformation and living in that bubble!
FunInTheSack
Kangol2,
We will see who was duped.
I think those who were indeed duped, are just now finding out. Biden is a fraud.
Check out DailyMail for some real journalism.
It’s all just now unfolding.
And it’s glorious.
Trump2020
HenryCameron
Nowhere in the CBS article does it say the FBI suspects that Russia is behind the emails as part of an ongoing campaign of misinformation aimed at aiding the Trump Campaign. It says that the FBI declined to even confirm they are investigating.
jniceny
All governments lie. We all should be highly skeptical of anything being said by the FBI or the CiA. Spooks!
BaltoSteve
As it was already proven that Russia was bankrolling the NRA. And there is a very real presence of white supremacists in Russia. I wouldn’t be too terribly surprised if the Proud Boys wasn’t getting some money from that end, nor, would I be too terribly surprised if they emails weren’t generated by those with the power to write those checks.