Terri Sewell joins legislators in introduction of bipartisan Secure Elections Act
Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell joined fellow legislators on Friday to introduce the Secure Elections Act which, if passed, would provide state and local governments with resources to strengthen their election systems against cyber attacks. “Our democracy is our nation’s greatest asset and it is our job to protect its integrity,” Sewell said in a press release. “We know from our Intelligence Community that Russian entities launched cyber attacks against our election infrastructure in 2016, exploiting at least 21 state election systems. As the 2018 elections approach, action is urgently needed to protect our democracy against another attack. Today’s bipartisan bill takes a huge step forward by providing election officials with the resources and information they need to keep our democracy safe.” Sewell was joined by Florida-Republican Rep. Tom Rooney, South Carolina-Republican Trey Gowdy, and Connecticut-Democrat Jim Himes, in introducing the legislation. All representatives are members of the members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), and aided in the HPSCI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. According to a report by The Hill, the Secure Elections Act would begin a voluntary grant program designed for replacing and updating paperless voting machines with machines that provide a paper trail. “The bill, like its companion in the Senate, is also designed to improve information sharing between state and federal officials on cyber threats to elections,” the report continued. “It would codify into law many of the steps Homeland Security is already taking to share sensitive details on threats and award security clearances to state elections officials.” “Hostile foreign actors have attempted and will continue to attempt to undermine the fundamentals of our democracy by attacking our electoral process,” Gowdy said in a statement, according to CyberScoop. “It is our responsibility to take every precaution necessary to safeguard our elections and ensure no vote count is ever interfered with.”
NSA contractor arrest highlights challenge of insider threat
The arrest of a National Security Agency contractor accused of stealing classified information represents the second known case of a government contractor being publicly accused of removing secret data from the intelligence agency since 2013. The latest arrest came despite efforts to reform security after the Edward Snowden disclosures, especially in regard to insider threats. Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was arrested by the FBI in August, after federal prosecutors say he illegally removed highly classified information and stored the material in his home and car. A defense attorney said Martin did not intend to betray his country. The arrest was not made public until Wednesday, when the Justice Department unsealed a criminal complaint that accused Martin of having been in possession of top-secret information that could cause “exceptionally grave danger” to national security if disclosed. The fact that Snowden and now Martin – both working for Booz Allen Hamilton as contractors for NSA – were able to leave the NSA with highly classified documents, especially given the supposed security upgrades put into place, raises the question of whether the intelligence agency’s efforts to tighten internal security afterward were effective or adequate. The NSA declined to comment. “One key thing we don’t have visibility into now is how he was caught, because that would provide some insight into whether the reforms that were put in post-Snowden were effective or not, or their relative efficacy,” said Rajesh De, who was the NSA’s general counsel when the Snowden story broke and remained there until last year. Snowden’s 2013 theft of documents that were leaked to journalists revealed the NSA’s bulk collection of millions of Americans’ phone records. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement that “it is painfully clear that the intelligence community still has much to do to institutionalize reforms designed to protect (U.S. government secrets) from insider threats.” While details remain sparse, Martin’s arrest also illustrates the difficulty of guarding against an insider threat given that employees that, by virtue of their clearance level and jobs, must be entrusted with the nation’s secrets. It’s unlikely, given the thousands of people in the intelligence community, “you’re going to be able to stop every incident of somebody taking documents if they’re determined to do so. But the real question is how quickly can you detect it, how quickly can you mitigate the harm of any such incident,” De said. Adm. Mike Rogers, who heads the NSA, has repeatedly spoken since 2013 about efforts the agency has taken to ensure that such a thing doesn’t happen again. He has said the agency tried to strike a balance so as to not overly upset workers, who are law-abiding citizens, with aggressive internal security mechanisms. On Wednesday evening at a Harvard University event, Rogers declined to offer details on the ongoing investigation but officially confirmed that the contractor was employed at the NSA, which monitors and collects sensitive information and data, mostly from overseas. Among the classified documents found with Martin, the FBI said, were six that contain sensitive intelligence – meaning they were produced through sensitive government sources or methods that are critical to national security – and date back to 2014. All the documents were clearly marked as classified information, according to a FBI affidavit accompanying the complaint. The complaint does not specify which documents Martin is alleged to have taken. He was arrested around the same time U.S. officials acknowledged an investigation into a cyber leak of purported hacking tools used by the NSA. That toolkit consists of malicious software intended to tamper with firewalls, the electronic defenses protecting computer networks. Those documents were leaked by a group calling itself the “Shadow Brokers.” The complaint does not reference that group or allege a link to Martin. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Barack Obama takes the situation “quite seriously. And it is a good reminder for all of us with security clearances about how important it is for us to protect sensitive national security information.” The New York Times first reported the arrest of a NSA contractor who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton. Booz Allen said in a statement that after learning of the arrest of one of its employees, it contacted law enforcement authorities to offer its cooperation and fired the worker. At Martin’s home, investigators found stolen property valued at “well in excess of $1,000,” the complaint said. He voluntarily agreed to an interview. “Martin at first denied, and later when confronted with specific documents, admitted he took documents and digital files from his work assignment to his residence and vehicle that he knew were classified,” the affidavit says. “Martin stated that he knew what he had done was wrong and that he should not have done it because he knew it was unauthorized.” He has been in custody since his arrest in August. “There is no evidence that Hal Martin intended to betray his country,” his public defenders, James Wyda and Deborah Boardman, said in a statement. “What we do know is that Hal Martin loves his family and his country. He served honorably as a lieutenant in the United States Navy, and he has devoted his entire career to serving his country. We look forward to defending Hal Martin in court.” The complaint charges Martin with unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials and theft of government property. In 2013, journalists relying on classified documents stolen by Snowden revealed the NSA’s bulk collection phone records and spurred a national debate on privacy and national security. Rogers has said that since those revelations, he’s repeatedly reminded the workforce of their agreement to never divulge the sensitive information they’ve been given access to. In prior comments, Rogers has said security isn’t just about technical and insider threat preparation, but also about ensuring professional behavior. “At times, I have some people telling me, ‘Hey, what this should show you is you can’t
Terri Sewell visit Alabama troops in Iraq
Next week she heads back to Capitol Hill, this week Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07), a second-term member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, took time to meet with members of the Alabama National Guard’s 20th Special Forces unit, part of U.S. Special Operations Command that is currently deployed in the Kurdish Region of Northern Iraq, during a four-day trip to the country. There, Sewell received oversight briefings on the current U.S. Department of Defense training mission with Syrian fighters and the Iraqi Army. “Our brave men and women in uniform play an integral role in Iraq, and my visit to Ebril and Baghdad deepened my appreciation for the sacrifices they have made to protect our country,” Sewell said of the men and women she met on her trip. “I was especially honored to meet with members of the Alabama National Guard’s 20th Special Forces division, and to learn more about their vital mission in Iraq. I want to thank these remarkable Alabama National Guardsmen for their exemplary service to our nation during their deployment in Iraq. I am especially proud to acknowledge the critical role that Alabama troops are playing in the fight against global terrorism.” Sewell continued, “As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, one of my most sacred duties is to ensure that every vote I make supports and advances our national security. Freedom is not free, and members of the armed forces deserve special recognition for their service and sacrifice. We in Alabama are doing our part.” Congresswoman Terri Sewell with American leadership in Iraq, including General Mark Odom who is the Combined Joint Operations Center Commander in Northern Iraq.
