A man has been sentenced to over two years in prison by a federal judge in Florida for repeatedly threatening Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and other public officials.
Richard Glenn Kantwill, aged 61, received his sentence in Tampa on Tuesday. Along with a prison term, he has been ordered to complete three years of supervised release and pay fines exceeding $10,000.
In November, Kantwill admitted his guilt on four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. The Department of Justice released a statement revealing that between September 2019 and July 2020, Kantwill had sent over 100 threatening emails and social media posts to various individuals. These threats were directed at individuals who engaged in political commentary. The targets included an author, a religious figure, and a television personality, although their names were not disclosed by the department.
During the period from April 2022 to April 2024, Kantwill sent threats to four public figures, one of whom was an election official from outside Florida. Although the Justice Department did not mention the official’s name, Griswold’s office confirmed that Kantwill had targeted her during that time.
In a statement, Griswold’s office emphasized the unacceptability of threats aimed at intimidating election officials. The statement further stressed the importance of taking such threats seriously and holding those responsible accountable for their actions. Griswold’s office expressed gratitude towards law enforcement and prosecutors for their efforts in bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Kantwill’s threat against Griswold centered around her involvement in the legal dispute regarding President Donald Trump’s eligibility to be included on the Colorado presidential primary ballot.
In December 2023, Trump was disqualified from the state primary ballot in Colorado by the Colorado Supreme Court due to his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol. However, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled this decision in March 2024, stating that votes for Trump should be counted. This ruling ultimately paved the way for Trump’s success in the general election later that same year.
According to Griswold’s office, Kantwill alleged that he was involved in an investigation regarding Griswold and used derogatory and misogynistic language in his messages, while also threatening her with physical violence. It remains unclear whether he actually traveled to Colorado.
Since the ballot case started in September 2023, Griswold’s office has reported that she has received more than 2,300 threats of violence or death. At least three individuals, including Kantwill, have either confessed to or been found guilty of making threats against her.
