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A Texas man busted by the feds for allegedly threatening to kill election and government officials in Georgia in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential vote has pleaded not guilty.
Chad Christopher Stark, 54, of Leander, Texas, appeared in a virtual federal court hearing Friday in Georgia and was released out on bond pending trial.
The Trump supporter is accused of posting a Craigslist message on Jan. 5, 2021 that said it was “time to kill” a Georgia election official.
“Georgia Patriots it’s time to kill… It’s time for us to take back our state from these Lawless treasonous traitors,” Stark allegedly wrote.
Georgia officials were on the receiving end of multiple threats in the days and weeks after the election, as President Trump’s supporters objected to the results in key states.
Stark’s case was the first brought by a federal task force created last summer to address election threats, and it is one of dozens now being investigated by authorities.
The Stark indictment didn’t identify victims of his threats, but Reuters previously reported two of the officials include Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
Both Raffensperger and Kemp are Republicans who defended the integrity of the Georgia election despite pressure from Trump, who in January 2021 asked Raffensperger “find” enough votes to overturn his loss to Joe Biden.
With Post wire services.
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