The messages collected by Reuters are only a sample of all threats to election workers nationally, taken mostly from states, counties and cities where officials were specifically targeted with false fraud allegations by Trump and his allies. Nearly a quarter of those hostile messages suggested the targets should die. Some called for executions. Many less-violent messages take a legal tack, for instance alleging treason and calling for the target to be investigated, prosecuted or jailed. Dozens of messages use sexual or misogynistic language. A smaller number use racist or anti-Semitic terms.

Crimes or protected speech? A challenge for U.S. law.

Building a criminal case for threatening messages is notoriously difficult.

The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment provides sweeping freedom-of-speech protections, even for statements that advocate violence. The Constitution does not, however, protect direct threats to a person’s life or safety, legal scholars say.

The problem: the U.S. Supreme Court has not clearly defined a “true threat,” scholars say. That makes it difficult for police and prosecutors to know where to draw the line. Law enforcement officials often look for language or […]