The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 17, 2025
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
The interim head of CISA, charged with protecting America’s critical cybersecurity infrastructure, including for elections, just issued a memo pausing all election protection operations, pending a review. Hint: It’s about countering Trump’s 2020 election claims.
WIRED Magazine reports the interim director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Bridget Bean, ordered a full review of the agency’s election programs since its inception in 2017, including programs countering misinformation and disinformation. In 2020, this included correcting claims by President Donald Trump that the 2020 Presidential election was somehow rigged to benefit Joe Biden. Far right Conservatives complained that CISA’s pressuring of social media companies to remove the bogus claims censored free speech.
We reported in July 2023 that under the Biden administration, CISA added staff as liaisons and consultants to state and local election officials. They advised 8,000 jurisdictions on hardening election systems from very real and ongoing attacks by Russia, China and Iran prior to the 2024 election. February 7th, 17 CISA election staffers were placed on leave, 10 from the state election programs.
In ordering the review, Bean said CISA would “correct any activities identified as past misconduct by the Federal Government related to censorship of protected speech,” according to WIRED’s reporting.
Vladimir Putin will be glad to hear it. We’ve linked to the reporting and resources at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – (2023) U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Head Announces Additional Election Security Advisors to Assist States in Securing Elections
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency – (2024) 2024 Year in Review
Politico – Trump continues federal purge, gutting cyber workers who combat disinformation
Mother Jones – Trump Is Gutting Efforts to Combat Foreign Election Interference
WIRED – Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work
Cyberscoop – CISA election, disinformation officials placed on administrative leave, sources say
Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause Election Disinformation, Protect Democracy, Election Worker Legal Defense Network, Center for Internet Security/ISA, IssueOne/Don’t Mess With US.org
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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