Official Campaign Statement

On Election Security

 

 

A policy centered review of the

 

 

SSCI Report

On Russian Active Measures Campaigns

 

and Interference

In the 2016 US Election

 

Volume 1

 

 

 

 

…

 

 

“Report of the Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) on Russian Active Measures Campaigns and Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election”

 

 

According to the report, the Russian Government exploited the seams between federal authorities and protections for the states. BY DESIGN, the individual states were left to decide what action should be taken to stop interference, and how serious the threats being relayed from DHS and the FBI really were.

 

 

If we do not STAND UP and PROTECT the states, the United States Government is derelict in its DUTY.

 

…

 

 

 

 

The Threat We Face

 

 

 

 

THIS is the threat we face. This is just ONE ACTOR, and this is just the information that has been VOLUNTEERED… the full scope of what has happened, and what is ONGOING, has not yet been fully understood because reporting is NOT mandatory.

 

 

“IF some states evaluated their logs incompletely or inaccurately, then DHS might have NO INDICATION…” Financially speaking, smaller states might have a harder time dedicating the necessary FUNDING to secure elections. CRIMINALLY speaking, that’s 50 different chances for success.

 

 

They were “casing the joint”. Watching, waiting until the OWNERS were out of town… or NOT PAYING ATTENTION due to some sort of DISTRACTION… like an “emergency”.

 

 

In at least ONE INSTANCE they were on the BRINK of what they were looking for:

 

 

IF the Russians can’t change vote totals, why should we be so concerned?

Chaos on election day. The ability to RAISE DOUBT in our MINDS about our system… to make EVERY AMERICAN question their national self-worth.

 

 

Consider the following scenario:

 

 

“… hitting the SBE IP addresses 5 TIMES PER SECOND, 24 HOURS A DAY…” for a month.

The “… IT staff took the website and database offline.” It was being probed and ATTACKED for THREE WEEKS before detection. A sophisticated operation run by a FOREIGN NATION is what we are seeing. WHAT IF this were to play out in the days before an election? Strategically, HOW should we answer that?

 

… with THIS?

 

 

The RUSSIAN GRU, against Jill down at CITY HALL?! I wish her luck, BUT… she’s going to need some ASSISTANCE!

 

 

“Russia’s going to DO IT AGAIN because they think this was successful.”

 

The vulnerabilities found in your PC are also found in our election systems. The level of technical knowledge required to carry out these operations is HIGH, but once understood they can be applied universally… all you need to do is LEARN THE CODE.

 

 

… and they ARE learning. Everything they can get their hands on.

 

 

When you consider their goals and what has happened since the 2016 election…

They achieved their mission objectives.

 

 

… and this is only ONE BATTLE. We have elections every TWO YEARS.

They WILL be back.

 

…

 

 

 

 

“When someone says, ‘we’re from the government and we’re here to help,’ it’s generally not a good thing.”

 

 

 

Why IS that? Oh… right. Because when government is executed POORLY:

 

 

Because LIVES ARE AT RISK. On this I don’t mean to sound partisan, because I can sit here and cuss out BUSH, and YOU could sit there and cuss CLINTON… and then back round we’ll go again, with the NEXT president chasing the SAME SCANDLES… chasing our OWN TAILS. BOTH, extreme examples of their party. BOTH elected by a MINORITY, and at the end of the day, BOTH presidents were correct. BOTH seen in the eyes of THE LAW, as legally JUST in their actions. Our legal framework, stretched and bent in the hands of two VERY DIFFERENT individuals… BOTH backed by the SAME CORRUTION.

 

Now imagine if we were to elect someone without ALL THAT BAGGAGE. Someone who represents the MAJORITY of the nation and finds the actions of BOTH PARTIES to be… lacking.

 

 

Government is NOT THE PROBLEM.

The problem, is the CORRUPTION of both MAN and INSTITUTION.

 

Remove the CORRUPTION, restore HONOR in governance.

Because the CHOICE is QUITE CLEAR… we must CELEBRATE OUR RULE OF LAW.

 

 

In an attempt to secure voting machines, FMR DHS Sec. Johnson designated them as critical infrastructure, opening up more assistance to states who needed it.

The move was seen by some as an attempted hostile takeover.

 

 

The Committee clearly expresses the benefits of DECENTRALIZED ELECTION SYSTEMS:

 

 

… and I AGREE. The unique character of EVERY STATE must be respected and it is IGNORANT for the federal government to presume to know what’s best for everyone. But this problem is bigger than any ONE STATE:

 

 

The negligence, limited ability, or EGO of officials in ONE STATE could disenfranchise HALF the nation. To do away with the benefits we currently have would be FOOLISH… so we must seek to add a NATIONAL LAYER OF SECURITY. An UMBRELLA OF PROTECTION that encompasses everyone, equally. A uniform, verifiable level of SECURITY that centers on the NEEDS of EACH STATE so they can incorporate their systems seamlessly, and communication can start to FLOW.

 

 

 

We will not sacrifice LIBERTY for SECURITY. We will RE-AFFIRM our commitment to LIBERTY by ensuring it STAYS SECURE.

We must HANG TOGETHER:

 

 

This is a YEAR-ROUND operation:

 

Our response should be 24-7-365.

 

Consider what’s at stake… the every EXISTANCE of our Constitution. We are engaged in an intellectual war of WORDS. The societal upheaval and political turmoil are side-effects. Fear and division, being stoked by corruption and greed… causing real-life casualties via our inability to unite and solve problems.

 

…

 

 

 

To Establish a Clearly Defined Protocol

 

 

“For want of the price of tea and a slice, the old man died.” –Pink Floyd, Us and Them.

 

I support ALL conclusions reached within the SSCI report. My campaign has advocated for many of the proposed safeguards from its inception and I believe we must act NOW rather than later. In order to CLARIFY… to ensure the WILL of the people, we must know elections are secure. LET THERE BE NO DOUBT! When the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE is heard loud and clear, the SOLUTIONS to our problems will be REALIZED.

 

 

ANY Election Security plan we choose to implement should include an ACTIVE DEFENSE STRATEGY to compliment our PASSIVE DEFENSES. Digital threats evolve constantly, hence the constant UPDATE NOTIFICATIONS on all of our electronic devices. ACTIVELY seeking out new threats and staying ahead of the curve, being prepared for “… the attack after the NEXT”, will ensure our systems stay on the cutting edge and maintain invulnerability. Maintaining Security is less costly than the alternative.

 

 

While working in concert with the private sector is always a good thing, it should be under the direct supervision and leadership of the United States Government. Independent verification of compliance, assembly of products, planning and strategy development, seasonal work force employment, among many others… but bulk of the load should be carried by the Federal Government.

 

 

If we’re not careful, that “vulture” could turn out to be a “Russian Bear” in disguise.

 

 

Placing a burden of such magnitude on state governments will make an already detrimental fiscal situation even worse. If it’s voluntary, then officials will elect to put it off due to other priorities that may or may not be in the interest of other states.

Securing our elections is in the interest of EVERY STATE.

Every proposed solution can be implemented, and MUST be implemented. MONEY will decide IF and WHEN they will be.

 

 

$400 MILLION DOLLARS upfront and $20 MILLION PER YEAR every year after… that sounds like a SMALL PRICE TO PAY for OPEN and SECURE election systems.

 

…

 

 

 

 

In Conclusion

 

 

“One state official said, ‘We need to walk a fine line between being forthcoming to the public and protecting voter confidence.'”

We can now see when decisions of such importance are left in the hands of a FEW individuals, it endangers ALL OF US. If we had full capabilities to monitor and detect the developing situation with Russian interference, we could have informed the people and they could have decided the best course of action at the BALLOT BOX.

VOTER EMPOWERMENT.

Instead, they were kept in the dark and forced to make an UNINFORMED DECISION.

 

The United States must establish its dominance in the world of cybersecurity and maintain operational supremacy so it can act decisively to INFORM THE PEOPLE in a timely manner. THE PEOPLE will always make the best decision when they are FULLY INFORMED.

 

When in doubt, FULL DISCLOSURE-

LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.

JC