Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance has been revealed to have connections with extremists, including a far-right commentator and a conspiracy theorist. Vance has endorsed books by another conspiracy theorist and has been involved in a conservative manifesto criticized for its detrimental effects on Americans of color. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has spread false or misleading statements about the U.S. election to over a billion people through his social media platform X. He has faced criticism and a letter from five state secretaries of state urging him to address misinformation on the platform. Additionally, federal prosecutions of public threats are expected to reach record highs in 2024, with 69 people charged so far this year. The threats have targeted federal law enforcement, politicians, election officials, and other public servants. A man from California received a 20-year sentence for assaulting police officers during the January 6 Capitol attack, the second-longest sentence for a participant from that event. The alarming trend of violent rhetoric and threats against public officials continues to rise, highlighting the normalization of such behavior in society.
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