A federal judge in Florida has sentenced a man to more than two years in prison for repeatedly threatening Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and other public officials.
Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, was sentenced in Tampa on Tuesday. In addition to the prison time, he received three years of supervised release and must pay more than $10,000 in fines.
Kantwill pleaded guilty in November to four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. The Department of Justice said in a statement that he sent more than 100 threatening emails and social media posts between September 2019 and July 2020 to several people “based on their political commentary.” Those threats targeted an “author, a religious figure, and a television personality,” though the department did not name them.
Prosecutors said Kantwill also sent threats to four public figures from April 2022 through April 2024, including to “an election official” from outside Florida. Though the Justice Department did not specify who, Griswold’s office has confirmed she was the official Kantwill targeted during that time.
“Threats to try to intimidate election officials are unacceptable. It’s important that threats like these are taken seriously and that bad actors are charged for their actions,” Griswold’s office said in a statement. “I want to thank law enforcement and the prosecutors who brought this man to justice.”
Kantwill’s threat against Griswold involved her role in the legal battle over now-President Donald Trump’s ability to appear on Colorado’s presidential primary ballot.
The Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Trump from the state primary ballot in December 2023 over his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol. But that decision was overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2024, when the justices said votes for Trump must count. The ruling helped clear the way for Trump’s victory in the general election later that year.
According to Griswold’s office, Kantwill claimed he was part of an investigation into Griswold and threatened her with physical violence, using slurs and misogynistic language in his messages. It's unclear if he ever made a trip to Colorado.
Since the ballot case began in September 2023, Griswold “has received over 2,300 violent threats or death threats,” her office said. At least three people have admitted to, or been convicted of, making threats against her, including Kantwill.
- Cortez man accused of threatening to kill Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and other Democratic election officials will likely plead guilty
- Facing ongoing threats, Colorado’s Secretary of State says the position needs more security — and other politicians want the same
- Man gets prison for threatening Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
