Michael Chertoff: How Election Security Has Become a Top Issue | SALT Talks #147

This is the first episode in a three-episode SALT Talks series focused on election security. Michael Chertoff was the Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009 where he led the country in blocking would-be terrorists and transformed FEMA following Hurricane Katrina. Elections security became a greater focus as the Internet became more integrated with voting systems. One of the most effective safeguards against a mass breach of voting systems is the distributed and decentralized nature of elections. The nature of election concerns has evolved greatly to include potential domestic terrorism and foreign government disinformation. "There was actually very little interference with registration databases or the voting process itself." The real issues turned out to be after the election, culminating in the violent mob seeking to block congress' certification of the election results. This was due to sustained misinformation propagated by then President Trump, his allies and conservative media outlets. The irresponsibility displayed should and could likely lead to successful legal action. "Frankly, I understand why these companies (like Dominion) are suing. They're basically saying, 'put your money where your mouth is.' There needs to be accountability." ————————————————————————— To learn more about this episode, including podcast transcripts and show notes, visit salt.org/talks Moderated by Anthony Scaramucci.