A man from Colorado, Teak Ty Brockbank, is set to plead guilty in federal court after being accused of making repeated threats against top elections officials in Colorado and Arizona, as well as judges and federal law enforcement agents. Brockbank, 45, has been in jail since his arrest in August and is expected to change his plea from not guilty to guilty for one count of making interstate threats.
According to court documents, Brockbank expressed views that violence against public officials was necessary, leading to multiple threats against individuals such as Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and former Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. In one post, Brockbank allegedly mentioned putting these officials to death, hoping it would incite fear and division among others.
The investigation into Brockbank's threats began in August 2022 after posts were discovered on social media platforms like Gab and Rumble. Prosecutors revealed that Brockbank also made threats against a state judge and federal agents, despite being prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
Prosecutors highlighted instances where Brockbank continued to make threats even after his initial arrest, including targeting judges and public officials involved in controversial decisions. The case was handled by the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, established to safeguard individuals facing escalating threats following the 2020 election.
Notably, Brockbank's threats were part of a broader trend of increasing threats against election officials, as seen in a separate case where a Nebraska man pleaded guilty to making death threats against Griswold. The task force aims to protect the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the safety of those involved in administering elections.
