Death Threats, Hack Attempts 'Barrage' OH Sec. of State's Office

Brad Friedman - 10/20/2008

The website of the Ohio Secretary of State is being set to "static mode" following a recent series of "security breach" attempts, as well as suspicious packages and a number of death threats sent to the office, according to a press release issued late this afternoon.

The threats against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office come in the wake of a rash of recent burglaries and vandalism at ACORN offices in Massachusetts and Seattle, as well as death threats delivered to a number of their workers following much-hyped media reports of "voter fraud" by the community organization. The attacks against the group escalated following the Republican Presidential nominee John McCain's comments about ACORN "voter fraud" at a recent rally, and his extraordinary allegation that ACORN was "on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy" at last week's Presidential debate.

Notably, there has been no actual evidence of any such "voter fraud" by ACORN, simply allegations by many on the right.

The recent threats against Brunner and her office follow on criticism from state Republicans, who have launched a number of legal suits against her during the final weeks leading up to this November's election...

Brunner's announcement notes the OH SoS website has been temporarily placed into "static mode with limited functionality as a precaution," while an investigation has been launched by her office and state police into the recent threatening incidents.

"Unfortunately, [the attacks on the website are] not the first instance of direct assault on the operations of the Secretary of State's office," the press release states. "In recent weeks, phone lines and e-mail channels have been barraged, even in the business filings section of the office, with menacing messages and even threats of harm or death. Last week, a suspicious package covered with threatening messages and containing an unidentified powder was mailed to the Secretary of State's office via the previous location of the Client Services Center. "

Brunner, a Democrat, has been in a recent series of legal clashes instigated by the Ohio Republican Party and a number of their surrogates. She most recently won a decision at the Supreme Court concerning GOP allegations of fraudulently registered voters in the Buckeye State.

Read More >>