Now, that there has been found to be no "Russian" interference in the infrastructures, onto Detroit.
Report Concludes No Material Impact of Foreign Interference on Election or Political/Campaign Infrastructure in 2018 Elections
Acting Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen yesterday submitted a joint report to President Donald J. Trump evaluating the impact of any foreign interference on election infrastructure or the infrastructure of political organizations, including campaigns and candidates in the 2018-midterm elections.
The classified report was prepared pursuant to section 1(b) of Executive Order 13848, Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Influence in a United States Election, which the President issued on Sept. 12, 2018.
Throughout the 2018 midterm election cycle, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security worked closely with federal, state, local, and private sector partners, including all 50 states and more than 1400 local jurisdictions, to support efforts to secure election infrastructure and limit risk posed by foreign interference. Efforts to safeguard the 2020 elections are already underway.
Although the specific conclusions within the joint report must remain classified, the Departments have concluded there is no evidence to date that any identified activities of a foreign government or foreign agent had a material impact on the integrity or security of election infrastructure or political/campaign infrastructure used in the 2018 midterm elections for the United States Congress. This finding was informed by a report prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) pursuant to the same Executive Order and is consistent with what was indicated by the U.S. government after the 2018 elections.
While the report remains classified, its findings will help drive future efforts to protect election and political/campaign infrastructure from foreign interference.
Statement by Attorney General Sessions on the Election Security Executive Order
Attorney General Sessions today issued the following statement on the Election Security Executive Order:
“The American people will not tolerate attempts to undermine the integrity of our electoral process—especially by foreign countries and other bad actors. President Trump is committed to taking definitive action to prevent anyone—foreign or domestic—from illegally interfering in our elections, and the Department of Justice is proud to support him in this mission.
“Pursuant to the President’s executive order, the Department will work with our partners at the State Department, Treasury Department, and Department of Homeland Security, in order to identify enemies of our country who put our electoral integrity at risk. Once we do, we will take action to bring them to justice.
“I applaud President Trump’s leadership on this issue, and I want to echo the clear message he has sent today: we will not accept attacks on our free elections and we will do whatever it takes to protect them. This is what the American people demand, and this is what they deserve.”
Secretary Nielsen Statement on President Trump’s Election Security Executive Order
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen released the following statement today on President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order, Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election:
“Today’s Executive Order demonstrates the Administration’s continued commitment to securing our nation’s election infrastructure. As I have said on numerous occasions, election security is national security and any attempt to interfere in our democratic institutions is unacceptable. By mandating the imposition of sanctions against any individual or entity that seeks to interfere in our elections, we are sending a clear signal that the U.S. government will not tolerate interference of any kind and will use every tool at our disposal to protect our democratic process.
“We do not need to wait for another interference attempt to know the threat is real and evolving. DHS is already working closely with state and local election officials to ensure all Americans have confidence in our elections. Election officials in all 50 states and over 1,000 local jurisdictions are now working with DHS in some capacity to secure their election systems. We’re focusing on providing actionable information and intelligence to election officials; providing technical assistance to secure systems; and supporting election-focused incident response planning, training, and exercises.
“Securing our elections requires support across the government and our communities, and DHS will continue to lead the federal effort to ensure every American’s vote is counted and counted correctly.”
President Donald J. Trump Is Working to Protect Our Nation’s Elections from Foreign Interference
PROTECTING OUR ELECTIONS: President Donald J. Trump is issuing an Executive Order that will work to respond to and deter foreign attempts to interfere in our elections.
President Trump’s Executive Order “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election” shows his commitment to protecting our elections.
President Trump is directing the Administration to develop a process, in coordination with State and local officials, for assessing and determining if interference in a United States election occurred.
The Executive Order authorizes action against those determined to have interfered in a United States election, including through:
Sanctions against those determined to have participated in foreign interference in our elections.
Additional measures that would have wide-ranging impact on foreign governments, entities, and individuals who interfere in our elections.
President Trump’s Executive Order mandates interagency reporting of potential foreign interference following each Federal election.
This Executive Order builds on the Administration’s robust efforts to expose, disrupt, and impose costs on those responsible for election interference.
WORKING ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT: The Trump Administration is working across all levels of government to help protect America’s elections from foreign interference.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working with State and local election officials and the private sector to coordinate a response to attempts at election interference.
DHS and election officials across 50 States and 1,100 local jurisdictions formed the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center to share security information.
The Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is providing DHS with actionable intelligence so State and local officials can strengthen election security.
These efforts build on the Administration’s support to States during past elections and the ongoing 2018 elections.
During 2017, the Administration provided on-site cybersecurity support to States.
A pilot program was launched to help officials at all levels of government share information and rapidly respond to security issues.
STRENGTHENING ELECTION SECURITY EFFORTS: The President and his Administration are working vigilantly to improve and strengthen the security of our elections.
President Trump recently held meetings with the National Security Council in May and July 2018 discussing the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to election security.
In August 2018, DHS hosted the first-ever National Election Cybersecurity Table Top Exercise, focused on improving information sharing and the integration of election security efforts.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are working to investigate and disrupt threats to our election systems and alert potential victims and targets.
DOJ and FBI will host a live Election Day Watch at the FBI’s Strategic Information and Operations Center to monitor and coordinate election-related activities.
