Maricopa County, Arizona elections official Bill Gates has been moved to an “undisclosed location” due to safety concerns following social media threats, per FOX10.
Gates, who is the chairman of the Maricopa County board of supervisors, was moved because individuals on social media and in private communications have made violent threats against him. It is believed that the vitriol against Gates, a Republican, is the result of his efforts to push back against unfounded claims of voter fraud in the 2022 and 2020 elections. In an interview prior to the midterms, Gates told NBC News that he had spoken with law enforcement because he was on the receiving end of “vile emails and social media posts.”
During the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, November 16, Gates faced intense criticism from supporters of Republican Party candidate Kari Lake. Per FOX10, many focused their criticism of the board, and Gates in particular, on reports dozens of vote tabulation machines experienced issues on election day. Lake was defeated in the governor race by Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs, although she has refused to concede. As reported by The Independent last week, Donald Trump recently told a crowd that Arizona’s governor race “[is] not over yet.”
Election workers have faced an increase in threats against them following the results of the 2020 election. Trump repeatedly told his supporters that the election was “stolen,” leading to a rise in conspiracy theories regarding the results of elections nationwide (but only when Republicans lose). Get ready for more of that unhinged MAGA behavior when Trump runs for president again in 2024.
