PHILADELPHIA, PA – A federal judge today granted a critical motion in Butwin and Schmidt v. John Does 1 and 2, allowing two Pennsylvania voters to begin issuing subpoenas to help uncover the identities of individuals who mailed them graphic and threatening letters over their support for Donald J. Trump in 2024.
The plaintiffs may now serve subpoenas to multiple government agencies and individuals, including the Lower Merion Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and several named postal inspectors. The order marks a major step forward in Public Interest Legal Foundation’s (PILF) efforts to address voter intimidation.
PILF’s lawsuit alleges violations of Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. The Pennsylvania voters received anonymous letters stating, “We know where you live… Your property, your family may be impacted, your cat may get shot… You tread on me at your peril.”
The letters, mailed via the U.S. Postal Service, specifically referenced their visible support for Trump and warned of consequences for their political participation.
“This ruling enables us to try to get to the bottom of who made the threats,” said PILF President J. Christian Adams. “We now have subpoena power to ask the agencies who should have done something and what, if anything, they have done.”
The subpoenas will seek documents and communications related to investigations of the mailed threats with the hope of identifying those apparently responsible. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief to prevent further intimidation and to safeguard the rights of voters ahead of future elections.
A copy of the order can be found here and a copy of the original complaint can be found here.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Douglas Blair dblair@publicinterestlegal.org 503-956-9899