“Militia groups and other armed nonstate actors pose a serious threat to the safety and security of American voters.”
– Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, a nonprofit organization that researches political violence and has tracked more than 80 extremist groups in recent months. The project’s report said Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Oregon “are at highest risk of increased militia activity in the election and post-election period.”
“Could the election devolve into civil war? Unlikely. “But look at World War I: Some worthless, low-level archduke gets assassinated and things escalate out of control. I’ve got people who are concerned that all it would take is a close election and some cheating.”
– Drew Miller, founder of a network of members-only survivalist camps
“The right is not going to give up their power unless they feel threatened. People are opening up to the idea that a riot is the language of the unheard. Property destruction is not violence.”
– Olivia Katbi Smith, a co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America in Portland
“We’re talking about violence in U.S. elections, and that’s insane. This is a real threat, and we have seen increased confidence among the militias.”
– Lisa Kaplan, the chief executive of the Alethea Group, a Washington company that tracks disinformation efforts
“I don’t want to amplify the voices of extremists because the last thing we want is to help them create fear and anxiety. But people need to know there is real concern, that these are the perfect conditions for extremists to try to create chaos.”
– Oren Segal, vice president of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism
“I just can’t get product. It seems like 30 million people went out and bought guns. We call suppliers and distributors and they just don’t have any product. Our selection is just terrible.”
– Nate Gerheim, general manager and gunsmith at the Shooters Bench in Russellton, Pennsylvania, about the increased number of recent firearm purchases
“Violence is not popular at all. But even five percent is millions of people, and it only takes a few people to create chaos.”
– Lilliana Mason, a political scientist at the University of Maryland
Chief Writing Wolf 