Transcripts For CSPAN2 House Hearing On Voting Rights Misin

Microphones muted. Members will need to unmute to be recognized for five minutes. Witnesses will need to unmute themselves when recognized for their five minutes or when asking a question. Members and witnesses, please keep your camera on at all times. Even if you need to step away for a moment, do not leave the meeting. At this time, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise thatmend the remarks and any written statements be part of the record. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Today, we are examining new misinformation in the 2020 election. How the spread of false information harms voters and what can be done to combat this and ensure that americans can go to the polls armed with Accurate Information. This year, we cannot discuss election misinformation without also recognizing the persistent misinformation being spread about the ongoing covid19 pandemic. Americans need Accurate Information about how to cast their ballots about the pandemic, and importantly, Accurate Information on how to cast their ballots in a manner that protects their health. Election day may be four weeks from today, but voting is well underway. Overseas and military ballots were sent out a few weeks ago. Absentee ballots can be requested now and returned in the weeks ahead. More than 30 states are already mailin ballots to voters. Mailing ballots to voters. Early in person voting began in many states over the last two weeks and more will do so in the weeks ahead. Early voting begins in ohio today. The American People are voting and will be voting now through november 3. During all of this, the president and others are waging an insidious campaign to so w distrust in our process by spreading false claims that vote by mail is rife with fraud, making unsubstantiated claims that the election will be rigged, encouraging people to vote twice which is illegal and wrong. Additionally, u. S. Intelligence agencies warned that russia has continued its Disinformation Campaign and continues to interfere in the election. In 2016, no group of americans were targeted more by Russian Internet disinformation than africanamericans. American people deserve the truth. They deserve an election free from the fraud of false information and Voter Suppression. The truth is, millions of americans, including the president and members of his administration, cast a ballot by mail every election cycle casting ballot by mail every election, exceedingly rare instances of fraud, more americans prepared to cast their ballot at home than ever before the American People, you we may not know the winner of the election the night of november 3rd. This does not mean anything is wrong with the election. Ministates take days if not weeks to certify their Election Results. Many allow ballots mailed on election day to be counted. The truth is there is nothing the various. It is simply about counting ballots. The council must be accurate and that takes time. Every ballot should count, that is democracy. We should count them. Misinformation being spread in the lead up to this years election is a disservice to voters in the danger to our democracy and our democratic institution. The house past the shield act in october 2019 which would address the spread of misinformation including prohibiting the spread of false information about voting but the senate has refused to act. To ensure that voters have all the necessary Accurate Information and need to cast their ballots freely, fairly and safely during the pandemic and be confident in our electoral process. I think our witnesses for being here today and i look forward to hearing your testimony. The Ranking Member is unable to join us today. I ask unanimous consent his statement the main part of the hearing record, without objection so ordered. Each of you will be recognized for five minutes. I will remind our witnesses their entire it and statements will be made part of the record and the record will remain open for five days. Another reminder to our witnesses theres a timer on the screen. Please be sure you can see the timer and are mindful of the 5 minute limit. Joining us today, benjamin hovland, the commissions current chair, has confirmed, was confirmed by unanimous consent in the senate on january 2nd, 2019, he previously served as acting chief counsel to the Senate Committee on rules and administration. Jena griswold is colorado s 39 secretary of state, she began her term on january 8th, 2008, the youngest elected secretary of state in the country. Secretary Jena Griswold worked as Border Protection attorney and previously served as director of the governor of colorado fcc office. Inajo Davis Chappell substance or appointment in 2007, shes an oop in cleveland ensures that firm group. Spencer overton with the center for political and the complex studies, also a tenured professor at the George Washington University School of law. Previously served as Principal Deputy assistant attorney general in the office of legal policy at the department of justice during the obama administration. It is interesting to note we are holding this hearing during National Voter education week. I will now recognize our members for their 5 minutes. We will begin today with mister hoffman. Appreciate this opportunity to testify regarding the us election system commissions ongoing work on this important issue. Combating misinformation and disinformation was one of the expected issues of the 2020 election and be covid19 pandemic is only exacerbated the risk 2016 foreign interference in our election is been an increased focus and dedication to the security of our elections. The performance of Homeland Security designation of election infrastructure as Critical Infrastructure has helped codify important data efforts between federal, state, and local Government Agencies as well as another industry. This led to a sea change in information sharing and coupled with the Health America Grant Funding is greatly improved the posture of our election. That commitment to securing our election has continued. It is impossible to discuss the 2020 election without acknowledging the impact of the covid19 pandemic. Since marginally the ongoing debates about the health of our community and economy Election Administrators to face the difficult task of determining how to best adapt their practices and procedures to conduct safe, secure, and accurate elections. At the eac we pivoted substantially to focus our attention on how to support state and local affection Election Officials as they make these decisions. Is often distributed almost 1. 2 billion in Grant Funding to the state since 2018. This includes 400 million from the recent Cataract Fund and additional Election Security funds, these resources have proven vital to improving Election Administration and covid19 related issues. Election administrators have risen to the challenge during these difficult times. As a public service, can only do their best in limiting the impact of widespread misinformation and disinformation about our election. Political campaigns and interest to spending billions of dollars to influence americans was foreign embassies are mimicking Traditional Voter suppression tactics to dissuade participation but provide inadequate information how voters can participate. In the face of that americans must come together to protect our nation, the electoral process and voter confidence, those who can should encourage american confidence in our electoral process by highlighting the great work of our Election Administrators. Supporting efforts like the national association, an integral part of ensuring americans get the right information how to participate this year. Today we are 28 days from election day. Military and overseas citizen, they have been sent across the country around the world. A number of states have begun early voting and some registration deadlines have already passed. The most important things we can focus on it this point are the basics, serving food as well as helping them to have a positive experience whether they vote by mail or at the ballots early, in person or on election day. Misinformation and disinformation can interfere with that. We must push back not only against leading disinformation but also misinformation that may be wellintentioned or appropriate for citizens in one state or jurisdiction but not another. In the dc area, for example, voters are registered in one of two states with the district and social media does not stop at the state line. The reality is the 50 states, each run elections in their own unique way, the trusted effort that i mentioned earlier is about helping americans get Accurate Information about Election Administration from their state and local administration officials. This is the restricted source for each voter which provides correct information how to participate. With all the noise that throws the selection it is crucial we encourage individuals to think through how they plan to vote. Most americans have the option to vote by mail or absentee ballot early, in person or on election day. Limiting congestion at polling places will help keep voting as safe as possible. Heaping helping americans get Accurate Information about their voting options and how they can participate in sure is that voters have the opportunity to vote on or before election day, thank you for the opportunity to testify and i look forward to your questions. Thank you very much, appreciate your testimony. We will now hear from secretary griswold, recognized for five minutes. Thank you for your work on elections and inviting me to this important hearing. Mindedness jenna resort, colorados secretary of state. I look forward to sharing my views on combating misinformation in the 2020 election. As colorados top election official, i feel like can security is one of our greatest security risks. Of Foreign Countries interfere with our election it undermines faith in the entire electoral process, voters are less likely to participate which weakens the nature of our democracy. I would like to discuss the threats we are facing, what we are doing to combat them and proposals for congressional action. The Intelligence Community and Bipartisan Select Committee on intelligence concluded russia interfered in 2016 election. We know foreign enemies primarily russia are again trying to influence how we vote and undermine confidence in our election based on reports from the dni and the fbi just released the most pointed warning to date, foreign actors may try to undermine confidence in the results. Foreign adversaries are right now right this minute meddling in our election. We cannot allow this to continually happen. In response, to ensure colorado remains at the forefront of election preparedness and colorado remains confident in our process i created the Rapid Response Election Security cyberunit known as rescue to combat misinformation and emerging cyber threats. The rescue team is coordinating with partners to increase the information on the electoral process. By implementing a Public Outreach effort to ensure coloradans know to ignore the noise, seek reliable election information. Insuring my office can rapidly respond to misinformation on the electoral process by releasing Accurate Information and ensuring county and nongovernmental partners work with us to roll out correct information. We are also working with dhs and the fbi on additional measures. Following the election the team will shift towards further increasing our cybersecurity defenses and resilience to foreign interference. The team will stand up to advance legislative and policy initiatives to counter foreign misinformation. On this note last winter before covid19 shut down our state legislature i proposed legislation to combat foreign misinformation in colorado. The proposal which i hope will become law strengthens requirements to ensure paid election messages are not coming from foreign sources, this prohibits campaigns from coordinating with foreign governments and the private right of action to combat election misinformation close to the election. We must ensure that Foreign Countries do not use social media platforms as a tool to suppress americans votes. Colorado is waiting on this and our democracy demanded. Congress also has an Important Role to play from legislation appropriations and warnings to the public about foreign adversarys efforts. To tackle election misinformation i recommend the following action. First, congress should establish a commission with bipartisan representatives from state governments to develop recommendations to ensure what happened in 2016 and what is happening right now never happens again. Congress should provide Adequate Funding to states for election cybersecurity with a focus on increasing resilience to foreign misinformation. Third congress should require the Intelligence Community to rapidly declassify foreign misinformation and work with bipartisan representatives from state and federal government to roll out this information to the American Public and congress should consider legislation like we are doing in colorado combat election misinformation and foreign coordination. To this end i call on congress to remove the artificial protection afforded of social Media Companies, by the Communications Decency act, social Media Companies are not neutral platforms and thirdparty contest posted on the site and promoting intentions for an activity. They should no longer be shielded from accountability. Social media can be a tool for good, adversaries can use it to their advantage with precision never seen before. Enclosing im grateful for this opportunity to testify today. Im optimistic with your leadership and partnership we can counter foreign misinformation and ensure that every american has a democracy we can believe in. Thank you. David chapelle recognized for 5 minutes. 2 distinguished members of the United States house of representatives appreciate the opportunity to speak. In 13 years i served on the Cuyahoga County ohio board of elections including the last two president ial elections i never witnessed the kind of falsehoods being disseminated about the integrity of our elections that i am seeing in this president ial cycle. The lie that theres rampant voting fraud has tamped down somewhat by the campaign to discredit the integrity of our elections process is on the upswing and it is shameful. The latest being circulated in this election cycle around vote by mail being fraught by problems of not diminish the number of them, voters in Cuyahoga County have been voting by mail successfully since 2006. Frank larose published materials highlighting the goals and tactics on the Disinformation Campaigns we are seeing. These are taking divisive issues like race, religion and gender, planting fake news, amplifying messages via extreme fringe groups, organizing protests and so forth, using internet and social media to launch mass in Disinformation Campaigns with the goal of subversion, civil unrest and creation of public discord. The campaigns are excluding grievances, building mistrust and cynicism and ultimately discouraging voter participation. There are a number of foreign bad actors, china, venezuela, engaging in this campaign. Sadly much of this misinformation is being promoted by donald trump, the white house and other domestic bad actors who have unfairly demonized the vote by mail process and undermines public confidence. Of Election Officials we are committed to correcting this misinformation as best we can in a number of ways. In response to the fabrications around the vote by mail process the Cuyahoga County board of elections began implementing a new initiative to encourage voters to vote by mail to maximize their safety in this pandemic and that initiative is called vote from home. We are trying to separate fact from fiction by delivering countersmessages showing that vote by mail is safe and secure. We rolled out voting with buster messages to debunked voting myths with real facts. Myth buster messages are posted on social media to speak to a variety of topics geared to giving voters Accurate Information about elections and the voting process. Samples of those messages were included with my written testimony. Our board of elections has ramped up efforts to connect with voters, Voter Education and