“U.S. Elections Systems Vulnerable, Lawmakers Told In Dueling Hearings”

NPR:

Democrats on the Senate panel, however, are frustrated by DHS Secretary John Kelly’s unwillingness to disclose more detail about the states that were targeted or compromised last year. DHS acknowledges that Russia’s intelligence officers went after elections systems in 21 states, only two of which — Arizona and Illinois — have been officially confirmed.

Jeanette Mafra, acting director of DHS’ national protection and programs directorate, told senators that DHS must “build trust” with the state and local agencies it supports and that releasing names or details about them would ruin that by embarrassing them.

Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., complained that the official work of investigating and explaining Russia’s mischief last year was hamstrung by all the secrecy about what had been compromised.

“I understand the notion of victimization,” he said. “But I do not believe our country is made safer by holding this information back from the American public. I have no interest in trying to embarrass any state, but we’ve seen this too long in cyber … people try to sweep this under the rug and assuming it will all go away.”

Share this: