Study: Over 40% of US State Lawmakers Self-Censor Due to Threats

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Facts

  • A new report released Thursday by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University (NYU) School of Law found that over 40% of state lawmakers revealed having faced threats over the past three years, while up to 20% of local officeholders admitted the same over the past 18 months.1
  • According to the study, which surveyed 350 state legislators and over 1,350 local elected officials, roughly one in 10 state representatives had been threatened by someone with a weapon.2
  • As a result, many respondents expressed a disinclination to work on controversial policy issues, including gun rights and reproductive rights (nearly 50% of local officials and more than 25% of state lawmakers), to interact with constituents on social media (52% of local officeholders and 46% of state legislators), and to run for reelection (39% of locally elected officials and 12% of state lawmakers).1
  • The survey indicates that women and people of color serving in local offices were most likely to face abuse — insults, harassment, threats, or attacks — targeting their families or children, or mentioning their gender or race.1
  • Regarding party affiliation, Republican officeholders reported a greater increase in 'volume of abuse' than Democrats, with the report alleging that attacks within their party amid internal divisions were partly to blame for this difference.3
  • This report comes out after Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) have all been victims of recent 'swatting' incidents — where someone reports a fake emergency to the police so law enforcement goes to their homes.1

Sources: 1Forbes, 2Guardian and 3Time.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Brennan Center for Justice. Trump's rise to prominence has built an endemic culture of using threats as a censorship tactic. Though this has affected people of varying ideologies, the Trump team has monopolized this strategy and aimed it viciously at liberal women and people of color. Just as legislators pass laws and courts uphold them, Trump's role seems to be to threaten his opponents into submission when he's on the verge of losing his battles.
  • Right narrative, as provided by The Washington Times. Blaming Trump is ironic coming from leftists who have been threatening — and in some cases physically attacking — ideas and speech they don't agree with as part of their notorious cancel culture. It's conservatives who have to watch what they say for fear of having their lives and reputations ruined because of their views on politics or religion. Until leftists learn to be more tolerant, this problem will continue.

Predictions