Philadelphia District Attorney Larry
Krasner issued a warning to anyone who might think about interfering in
Election Day activities.
During a press
conference on Monday, Krasner highlighted voter protection efforts made by the
election task force on the eve of Election Day.
"We are here on a
very important day before a very important election. We are here more than
anything to speak about protection of an election, making sure that the
election that will occur tomorrow will be free. It will be fair, and it will be
final," Krasner said.
Krasner said they have no "deep, abiding fears or
concerns" surrounding safety and reassured the community that when they
get up to vote tomorrow, they
would be protected.
IN
BATTLE AGAINST TRUMP, HARRIS CRISSCROSSES BIGGEST OF THE BATTLEGROUNDS ON
ELECTION EVE
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (AP Photo/Matt Rourke/File)
"I also want to
be clear. Anybody who thinks it's time to play militia, F around and find
out," Krasner said. "Anybody who thinks it's time to insult, to
mistreat, to threaten people, F around and find out."
"We got a pair of handcuffs, we got a jail cell, and we got a Philadelphia
jury," Krasner said, promising to prosecute anyone who tries to interfere
in the vote.
"So if you're
going to try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you're going to
try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you're going to try to erase votes,
you're going to try any of that nonsense. We're not playing. F around and find
out," Krasner said.
Krasner said he is
hopeful that they won't have any issues, but he also said they do have a
concern that there may be people either working in the polls or close to the
polls who are going to bring frivolous, bogus challenges to voters.
'PAINSTAKING
PROCESS': PA. COUNTY GIVES UPDATE ON PROBE OF SUSPICIOUS BATCH OF VOTER FORMS
Philly DA Larry Krasner said "F around and find out" to
"anybody who thinks it’s time to play militia" on Election Day. (iStock)
"This is the
bottom line," Krasner said. "Anybody who thinks you're going to play
those games in Philadelphia, you're going to do it in bad faith, I've got no
problem with doing it in good faith, but if you do it in bad faith, there is an
election court, there are judges, they have orders."
During the last presidential election, two
men, 61-year-old Antonio LaMotta and 42-year-old Joshua Macias of Chesapeake,
Va., were arrested in Philadelphia with weapons and ammunition outside the
Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes were being counted that eventually
won President Biden the White House.
Krasner acknowledged
that they are all aware of the controversy facing elections in the U.S. and are
making sure every vote is counted.
PENNSYLVANIA
SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH GOP IN LAST-MINUTE MAIL-IN BALLOT DISPUTE
A voter fills out a mail-in ballot at the Board of Elections
office in the Allegheny County Office Building on Nov. 3, 2022 in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
"But this is my
nonpartisan hat. We do not care who gets your vote. We care that you get to
vote. That is the most important thing," Krasner said.
The FBI Philadelphia
field office said it is also bringing in additional support and adding election
command posts. The agency said it will enable each FBI field office across the
country to streamline communication and response and ensure the safety and
security of the elections and public.
"The FBI works closely with our federal, state and
local partners to identify and stop any potential threats to public safety. We
gather and analyze intelligence to determine whether individuals might be
motivated to take violent action for any reason, including due to concerns
about the election. It is vital the FBI, our law enforcement partners and the
public work together to protect our communities as Americans exercise their
right to vote. We encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and
immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement." — FBI Philadelphia
Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs
Pennsylvania is
expected to play a crucial role in the outcome of the presidential election,
having 19 electoral college votes up for grabs.
"Pennsylvania is
the one state that it's hard to see someone losing and then still winning the
presidential race," Mark Harris, a Pittsburgh-based longtime Republican
national strategist and ad maker, told Fox News. "It's clearly ground zero."
Both Trump and Harris
are spending part of their last full day of campaigning in the Keystone State.
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