Trump Fires Top Election Security Official Over Election Security Statements

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FILE - In this May 22, 2019 file photo, Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. “I have confidence that your vote is secure, that state and local election officials across this country are working day in and day out, 24/7, that the 2020 election is as secure as possible,” Krebs said. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired the director of the federal agency that vouched for the reliability of the 2020 election.

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Trump fired Christopher Krebs in a tweet, saying his recent statement defending the security of the election was “highly inaccurate.”

 

Krebs. a former Microsoft executive, ran the agency, known as CISA, from its creation in the wake of Russian interference with the 2016 election through the November election. He won bipartisan praise as CISA coordinated federal state and local efforts to defend electoral systems from foreign or domestic interference.

He kept a low profile even as he voiced confidence ahead of the November vote and, afterward, disputed allegations that the count was tainted by fraud. At times, he seemed to be directly repudiating Trump, a surprising move from a component of the Department of Homeland Security, an agency that has drawn criticism for seeming to be too closely allied with the president’s political goals.

CISA issued statements dismissing claims that large numbers of dead people could vote or that someone could change results without detection.

It also distributed a statement from a coalition of federal and state officials concluding there was no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in the Nov. 3 election and that the vote was the most secure in American history.

Krebs avoided ever directly criticizing the president and tried to stay above the political fray, even as he worked to contradict misinformation coming from the president and his supporters. “It’s not our job to fact check the president,” he said at a briefing with reporters on the eve of the election.

CISA works with the state and local officials who run U.S. elections as well as private companies that supply voting equipment to address cybersecurity and other threats while monitoring balloting and tabulation from a control room at its headquarters near Washington. It also works with industry and utilities to protect the nation’s industrial base and power grid from threats.

The agency enjoys a good reputation among its core constituency — the state and local election officials who rely on its advice and services at a time of near-constant cyberattack — as well as on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers recently proposed an increase of its annual budget of around $2 billion.

Amid recent reports that Krebs feared he might be fired, Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, had said he was concerned and sent a text to the director to ask him if he was OK. The response was, in effect, “for now,” the Mississippi Democrat said.

“It’s a shame if someone with his talent is all of a sudden, muzzled,” Thompson said. “I have not seen a partisan bone in his body. He’s been a consummate professional.”

Rep. Jim Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat who focuses on cybersecurity issues, had called on his Republican colleagues to stand up for him before he could be removed from his post. “Chris Krebs and CISA have done so well under his leadership because he and his team have kept their heads down and done the job they were tasked with doing and not gotten caught up in partisan politics,” Langevin said.

The agency emerged from rocky beginnings. Just before President Barack Obama left office, the U.S. designated election systems as critical national security infrastructure, like dams or power plants, as a result of the interference by Russia, which included the penetration of state elections systems as well as massive disinformation.

Some state election officials and Republicans, suspicious of federal intrusion on their turf, were opposed to the designation. The National Association of Secretaries of State adopted a resolution in opposition to the move in February 2017. But the Trump administration supported the designation, and, eventually, skeptical state officials welcomed the assistance.


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26 Comments
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Stam Misha
Stam Misha
3 years ago

this unbelievably brazen election fraud had been made possible by the unbelievably wide spread sabotage of rank and file democrat functionaries

Phineas
Phineas
3 years ago

He will have his pick of cyber security jobs and Trump will go live in Florida where he can regale his golf club guests about how great he is.

georgeg
georgeg
3 years ago

I really doubt Homeland Security had a peak into the software of the system (or even audited the system), where internal (homegrown) vote rigging takes place.

One would think that Homeland Security is limited to protecting from foreign interference and terrorist threats (Trump never claimed foreign governments hacked into the voting system). To quote Reuters (which is hardly a Trump supporter):

> Krebs has drawn praise from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the election, which generally ran smoothly despite persistent fears that foreign hackers might try to undermine the vote.

Notice the important words “foreign hackers”.

UghSam
UghSam
3 years ago

The only ppl who want or could interfere in the election are those who live thousands of miles away. The democrats could not care less who wins. As long as the process works, they are perfectly fine with trump,

Berish
Berish
3 years ago

Another one bought and paid for by Soros. I’m glad we caught him.

anonymous
anonymous
3 years ago

the putz president does it again. just thinking against him will get you axed.
we can’t wait till january 20 ! let it come quick, before captain queeg rolls any more of his dice

#protect2020
#protect2020
3 years ago

Michael Chertoff, DHS secretary under Bush: “Because Donald Trump doesn’t like the fact it was a secure election because he lost he’s acting out of personal vindictiveness. As far as I’m concerned this firing is a badge of honor for Chris Krebs.”

Chareidi Jews For Biden/Harris 2020
Chareidi Jews For Biden/Harris 2020
3 years ago

Trump is an egotistical tyrant. He is a danger to democracy, He slanders, lies picks petty fights and gifts Afghanistan to the Taliban while ignoring the ravages of COVID. He is a sick man. Boruch Hashem the will soon be gone. He is a danger to this country and to the world.

Yaakov Doe
Yaakov Doe
3 years ago

Enraged Trump has fired another person during his tantrum using Twitter to fire him. Why didn’t Trump hold a press conference where he could explain the reasons for the firing and answer reporters’ questions. He’s been hiding in the White House, aside from golf outings, for 2 weeks now.
The Republican Senate is responsible for this toddler and his tantrums because they voted against impeachment.