The Washington state Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make harassing election workers a felony, three months after four county election offices received envelopes containing suspicious powder — including three testing positive for fentanyl — and had to be evacuated.

    • Steve@startrek.website
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      8 months ago

      We do, but we also love to elevate the punishment for crimes that annoy whatever group at the moment. A felony is more severe than a misdemeanor, and carries lifelong consequences.

      • this_1_is_mine@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Like the inability to vote… OK why down vote. I’m right they limit your speech to disagree by taking your voice. The easy way to do that is make you a criminal with a felony conviction it is thee fastest way.

        • Steve@startrek.website
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          8 months ago

          Sure you can argue it may fit the crime in this case but I get annoyed when we try to give all crimes the death penalty.

        • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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          8 months ago

          That’s not a universal feature of felonies. According to Wikipedia, in the US it’s any crime punishable by more than a year in prison.

    • CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Iirc most laws do cover threats but aren’t enforceable due in large part of the first amendment. So threats are only enforced when there is real, imminent danger to the victim.

      Even in cases of threatening the president, you get a visit from the Secret Service and charges are rare.

      I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.