Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul has requested detailed information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) regarding their involvement in a cybersecurity conference on Election Day. The event, hosted by the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA), is set to take place in Atlanta, Georgia.

Senator Paul expressed concerns about foreign adversaries attempting to undermine confidence in U.S. elections through cyberattacks targeting the electoral process. He noted that recent efforts included hacking into campaign infrastructure and government servers, with an incident involving Iranian intelligence accessing President Donald Trump's campaign servers.

The letter addressed to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas highlighted worries over federal resources being allocated for participation in the conference rather than focusing on monitoring potential election-related cyberthreats. "I am deeply concerned about federal resources being diverted to support participation in an election-day cybersecurity conference," Paul stated.

Paul's request includes unredacted copies of all records related to the AFCEA conference, including invitations, speaking engagements, and communication between DHS, CISA, and various organizations such as the FBI and Georgia National Guard. Additionally, he seeks details on travel expenses and ethics reviews associated with attending the event.

The senator emphasized that ensuring public confidence in election integrity should be a priority for federal agencies during this period. "On Election Day and in the days thereafter, the Administration should seek to give the public confidence in the fairness, safety, and security of our election system," he wrote.

Paul has asked for a response by October 29, 2024.