If the Department of Homeland Security attempts to seize oversight of American elections from states in the name of national security, Hillary Clinton will have the new “Elections Czar” in her corner.
The Washington Examiner reported on Tuesday:
“We should carefully consider whether our election system, our election process, is critical infrastructure like the financial sector, like the power grid,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said.
“There’s a vital national interest in our election process, so I do think we need to consider whether it should be considered by my department and others critical infrastructure,” he said at media conference earlier this month hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
“We should carefully consider whether our election system, our election process, is critical infrastructure like the financial sector, like the power grid,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said.
“There’s a vital national interest in our election process, so I do think we need to consider whether it should be considered by my department and others critical infrastructure,” he said at media conference earlier this month hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
It would be difficult to view Johnson merely as a keeper of election integrity, given his negative comments about Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Johnson tore into Trump during an appearance on MSNBC in December, deeming his policies “irresponsible,” “unconstitutional,” and even “un-American.”
Johnson said:
“As the secretary of Homeland Security, I have avoided responding to the political season and what candidates have said running for president. However, I believe that it’s the responsibility of those of us in national security and homeland security when a leading candidate for office proposes something that is irresponsible, probably illegal, unconstitutional and contrary to international law, un-American, and will actually hurt our efforts at homeland security and national security, we have to speak out.
“So we’re in an age right now that involves terrorists-inspired as well as terrorists-directed attack. The Islamic state has targeted the Muslim community. So it is all the more important that we reach out and build bridges to American Muslims, and American Muslim communities.
“We’ve been doing a lot of this lately. And it’s important that we continue to do that working with the Muslim community, not driving them away, not vilifying them, not driving them into the shadows is absolutely critical to our national security efforts.
“So, those of us in government have to speak out about this proposal, this idea.”
Johnson was objecting to Trump’s idea to closely scrutinize Islamists in America for potential radical tendencies.
So does Johnson want to preserve the integrity of elections, or or want to ensure his candidate wins?
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