Though not acted on, the request shows how the Trump administration has tried to use the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for its own ends while draining it of resources to help its mission of protecting the nation’s voting systems.
Moreover, the agency had been directed not to alert the voting machine company if it uncovered flaws, contrary to its standard practices. The request made the CISA employees fear they were being asked to take part in political interference.
“My thought was they could keep it in their back pocket to invalidate any [election] results they don’t like,” one of the former officials said. “This goes against everything CISA represents.”
37·4 days ago