Russia’s Not Your Friend
Russia’s military intelligence agency, the Main Directorate of the General Staff (GU), is also known as the GRU. The United States has indicted GRU officers and designated the GRU for sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, cybercrimes, and election interference. Cyber-related offenses against the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, NotPetya malware attacks in 2017, various cyberattacks against the 2018 Olympics, and interference in the 2016 U.S. election are just a few of the crimes the GRU has been indicted for by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The GRU has been sanctioned under CRIEEA; P.L. 115-44/H.R. 3364 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA, Title II).
Don’t Welcome Cyberattacks to Pima County
That is just a little background information for Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly and Pima County interim Elections Director Mary Martinson.
Recommending electronic poll books hosted by Amazon and asking people to wait in longer lines is not a good idea
Cazares-Kelly states “With the e-poll book system, check in times will go from about three minutes to 30 seconds.” Costco can’t even print out my gas receipt that quickly, so you have my attention! However, Congress and the executive branch continue to try and figure out what to do about malicious Russian activities like cyberattacks, election interference, and disinformation while our election officials in Pima County want us to rely more on the internet. We know the DOJ knows this is a problem and Congress is trying to figure out what the GRU is capable of and why it conducts operations against elections in the United States, so why is Pima County so interested in inviting that trouble here?
Presidents Trump and Obama Knew…
General Paul K. Nakasone, Commander U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, said, “as the most technically advanced potential adversary in cyberspace, Russia is a full-scope cyber actor, employing sophisticated cyber operations tactics, techniques, and procedures against U.S. and foreign military, diplomatic, and commercial targets, as well as science and technology sectors.”
President Obama and President Trump invoked National Emergencies Act (NEA) and International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorities to declare national emergencies related to cyber-enabled malicious activities and election interference. President Obama issued Executive Order 13757 to establish sanctions against those engaged in “tampering with, altering, or causing a misappropriation of information with the purpose or effect of interfering with or undermining election processes or institutions.” We aren’t talking about Democrat or Republican here; both teams know the potential dangers of Russian influence in the elections.
Now, Let’s Tell the Pima Co Board of Supervisors
It’s time for us to let the Board of Supervisors know that electronic poll books and voting centers are not for the voters of Pima County, and if they vote in support of either or both of these proposals, it will be their first step out the door. We don’t need to do a cost-benefit analysis of the voting systems. We don’t need to model the voter system; wait time, service time and deliver a queueing analysis. We don’t need to tell you how disenfranchised voters will feel after the disinformation that will surround the change of polling places. We just need you to look at what your team—Presidents Obama and Biden—have already said. Listen to your team.
Do NOT set Pima County up for a cyberattack or a breach of our VOTER DATA. President Obama warned you; the CIA warned you; the FBI warned you; the NSA warned you, and the Pima County Republican Party is sharing our concern with you.
The Rest of the Story
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) stated that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA) has “high confidence” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election”—and this was nine (9) days after President Obama signed Executive Order 13757.
Republicans, It’s Up to You
On February 15, 2022, the Pima County Board of Supervisors (BOS) will vote to change the election structure in Pima County. Contact each of the Supervisors and tell them to VOTE NO on electronic poll books and voting centers.
Rex Scott – district1@pima.gov
Matt Heinz – district2@pima.gov
Sharon Bronson – district3@pima.gov
Steve Christy – district4@pima.gov
Adelita Grijalva – district5@pima.gov
Clerk of the Board – COB_Mail@pima.gov
Join me in fighting for clean and fair elections.
P.S. Unfortunately, this will not be the last I will write about Russia.