The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 31, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

Last April, federal cybersecurity agency CISA issued warnings to election officials on how to combat a Russian online scheme to mislead American voters in the 2024 election.  CISA is now under attack by its own administration.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act was signed by President Donald Trump in 2018, with part of its mission to protect election systems.  It played a vital role in hardening state and local computer systems prior to the 2024 election, supporting state election officials, and monitoring hacking and disinformation campaigns perpetrated by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.  

After the 2020 election, it refuted Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was manipulated. Trump fired its director, and CISA was targeted by both Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation for a dramatic overhaul, with some conservatives calling for the agency’s elimination.

As foreign threats ramped up, so did CISA, doubling in size during the Biden administration. Just before the inauguration, President Biden issued an executive order requiring new CISA cybersecurity standards be implemented, but Trump immediately revoked it January 20th. CISA’s highly-qualified director, Jen Easterly, resigned on inauguration day. 

New Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in her confirmation hearing that CISA had “Strayed from its mission” by monitoring disinformation. As governor of South Dakota, she refused federal funding to harden cyber systems, calling it “wasteful spending.” 

We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – Project 2025’s Plan for Cybersecurity Agency Threatens Election Security
Federal News Network – What will 2025 bring for CISA?
Democracy Docket – A Little-Known Federal Agency Helps Secure Elections. Trump Wants to Gut It.
Associated Press – US cyber agency’s future role in elections remains murky under the Trump administration
Wired –  Audio Story – Under Trump, US Cyberdefense Loses Its Head
Politico – Noem calls to shrink CISA, saying the cyber agency has gone ‘far off mission’
South Dakota Searchlight – After Noem turns down federal cyber money, lawmaker suggests using state funds

Groups Taking Action:

IssueOne/Don’t Mess With US.org,  Common Cause US,  Protect Elections, Center for Internet Security/ISAC

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElectionSecurity #CISA #CyberSecurity 

The post Federal Agency CISA Helps States Harden Election Systems.  It’s Now Under Attack by Its Own Administration appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 18, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Yesterday, we reported on government warnings of foreign election interference by Russia and other actors. But after years of GOP demands for “election integrity” reforms, majority members of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee last week eliminated election security funding from the 2025 budget.

Election security includes everything from protection of voters and election workers, to upgrading voting machines and infrastructure, to keeping domestic and foreign actors from hacking that infrastructure.

The vehicle for that funding is Help America Vote Act grants, for which States Newsroom reports $55 Million dollars was appropriated in the last funding cycle. HAVA helps states fund big ticket items like voting machine upgrades, development of online voter registration portals, or hardening infrastructure against attacks. The Biden administration asked for $96 million dollars to assist states with their projects, some of which take years to complete. The request was cut to ZERO for the coming fiscal year.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission, charged with HAVA’s oversight and providing guidance to federal, state and local agencies to secure elections, had its funding slashed, too. USA Today reports that the administration had requested $134 Million dollars for the EAC; it got just $20 Million – $7 Million less than the previous budget. The 2025 budget is scheduled for completion in October, and has yet to be negotiated with the Senate.
Learn more and see the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Brennan Center for Justice – (2019 Report) – Defending Elections: Federal Funding Needs for State Election Security
Brennan Center for Justice – Securing the 2024 Election
States Newsroom via West Virginia Watch – States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure
USA Today – (Opinion) Republicans wail about secure elections while slashing funding for election security
Cyberscoop – House Republicans propose eliminating funding for election security
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Election Security Preparedness
Issue One – Securing 2024: Defending US Elections through Investment and Reform

Groups Taking Action:
Brennan Center for Justice, Issue One,  The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights 

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ElectionSecurity 

The post The Feds Warned States to Harden Election Infrastructure. The U.S. House Appropriations Committee Just Eliminated the Election Security Grant Funding to Help States to Do It appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 22, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

U.S. government cybersecurity experts issued warnings April 17th to election and public officials to lock down computer systems and train staff, in preparation for expected disinformation campaigns by Russia, China and possibly Iran. 

The FBI Counterintelligence Division, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint eight-page report with the warnings and recommendations.   The report is aimed at state and local election officials in preparation for the 2024 elections. 

The report cites recent efforts by Russia to create “proxy media” sites, which mix real news stories with stories using messaging to undermine confidence in elections, and to plant stories among unsuspecting U.S. politicians and influencers.   There is also evidence in Europe of Russian experimentation with AI-generated TV news anchors, and AI voice cloning of politicians and public figures. 

The U.S. agencies recommend municipalities use only .gov website extensions, to harden those sites, and distribute official information only through those locations.  Multi-factor authentication for those sites should be implemented.  For official social media accounts, the platform’s highest security available is recommended.

Security officials further recommend that election officials train not only their staff on what to look out for, but teach voters to be smart about information sources and sharing of election information. 

We have a link to the recommendations at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CISA – Statement:  CISA, FBI, and ODNI Release Guidance for Securing Election Infrastructure Against the Tactics of Foreign Malign Influence Operations
FBI, CISA & ODNI – Report:  SECURING ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE AGAINST THE
TACTICS OF FOREIGN MALIGN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS
Brennan Center for Justice – Preparing to Fight AI-Backed Voter Suppression
Brennan Center for Justice – Recommendations to Fight Back Against Election Misinformation
Rand Corporation – Analyzing Election Disinformation Efforts
Fordham Law Voting Rights & Democracy Project –  Spies, Trolls, and Bots: Combating Foreign Election Interference in the Marketplace of Ideas 

Groups Taking Action:

IssueOne/Don’t Mess With US.org,  Common Cause US,  Protect Elections, Center for Internet Security/ISAC

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ForeignElectionInterference #ProtectElections #Disinformation

The post FBI, CISA and ODNI Issue Guidance to Election Officials to Harden Websites, Train Staff and Educate Voters, Anticipating Foreign Influence Campaigns appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for August 1, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The head of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, spoke July 25th to state election directors, announcing an investment in new regional staff helping states protect their elections.  She also cited artificial intelligence as an emerging threat.

CISA Director Jen Easterly is a West Point graduate and Oxford Rhodes Scholar who retired as a Lt. Colonel from the US Cyber Command after 20 years of service.  She received two Bronze Stars, and was later nominated by President Biden for the CISA post in 2021.

Easterly told election directors that the difference in cyber security for elections was QUOTE “Night & Day,” compared with 2016, and that information sharing of intelligence on emerging threats to elections would continue to be core to CISA’s mission.   Easterly told the Associated Press that she sees artificial intelligence in the hands of bad actors as a concern, but that she had confidence in the security of the 2024 election itself.

Easterly noted that CISA is adding additional regional election security advisors to consult on with states and municipalities, and said at the end of her speech:  

“As we know, elections are the golden thread that run through our democracy. Election security is not a partisan issue; rather it is an issue of preserving that foundational fabric of our democracy.”

We have a link to her speech and to the CISA website at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – Director Easterly’s Remarks to the National Association of State Election Directors’ Summer Conference

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – Bio of Director Jen Easterly
Associated Press – Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – Election Security Rumor vs. Reality
U.S. Congress – Election Worker Protection Act

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause Election Disinformation, Protect Democracy, Election Worker Legal Defense Network

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers

The post U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Head Announces Additional Election Security Advisors to Assist States in Securing Elections appeared first on American Democracy Minute.