Mike Johnston
Role at the time: Mayor of Denver; the city and county of Denver is a plaintiff in the lawsuit
Statement summary
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said that stationing ICE agents near polling places is only meant to scare people and suppress votes, and that the right to vote without fear of intimidation is fundamental to democracy. He also said, "We'll fight tooth and nail to prevent it."
“The right to vote, and to do so without fear of intimidation, is fundamental to our democracy and to being an American Stationing ICE agents near polling places is only meant to scare people and suppress votes. We’ll fight tooth and nail to prevent it.”
Why we used this label
The case records responses to the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE and other armed federal agents at or near polling places. Johnston said stationing ICE agents near polling places is only meant to scare people and suppress votes, and said, "We'll fight tooth and nail to prevent it." That expressly criticizes the practice, so we labeled it Condemned.