Trump-loving county clerk faces consequences after massive security breach of election equipment

[Zorro]

Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters—a “high-ranking Election Division staff worker”—and a “mystery man” reportedly accessed the secure Election Division room where, the following day, Colorado election equipment was going to be upgraded. The Daily Sentinel reports that these three individuals are alleged to have made copies of the hard drive and copies of the election management software. Some of these files and images are suspected of having made their way onto an election conspiracy theory website. Peters is suspected of having created this “serious breach” of Colorado elections security to help fuel Trump-supporting conspiracy theories that massive voter fraud led to the single most unpopular president losing his election in recent memory.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, who has opened an investigation into the breach, says that Peters will be replaced in upcoming elections. This comes days after Secretary of State Jena Griswold ordered 41 pieces of election equipment replaced, saying that the security breach had compromised their integrity. That equipment must be replaced and certified by the end of August, or the county must hand-count ballots in upcoming elections. The Colorado Sun reports that while Secretary of State Griswold cannot have Peters removed from office, she can bar Peters from overseeing this November’s elections.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s office released a statement on Monday outlining the intricacies of their election security system, saying:

Colorado leads the way in secure elections, and has layers of security measures, both preventative and for detection purposes. This includes restricted access, chain-of-custody logs, equipment that is under lock and key, multiple sets of passwords or keys that no single person holds, and tamper evident seals. Colorado’s election system is also segmented, with each county having its own closed network and systems across counties are not connected to one another. Election systems have separate sets of passwords; one set is only held by a few specific civil servants with the Department of State and the other is held by the county officials. No one person has all the keys to the castle, as there are several passwords that are kept separate and protected by separate parties. Should there be an internal security breach like the one that occurred in Mesa County, in addition to the safeguards outlined prior to an election, Colorado also requires security protocols such as bipartisan testing on election equipment like tabulation machines before and after elections, mail ballot signature verification, and bipartisan risk limiting audits.

The Daily Sentinel has identified one of the two mystery people as Gerald Wood. Peters, this other staff worker—whose name is being withheld by the Sentinel at this time—allegedly passed off Wood as an employee of the county, giving him security access he did not have. The Colorado Sun reports that investigators believe the drives were copied and taken on May 23. The result: Images taken from the room were posted on a conspiracy website. They contained passwords and other delicate information and were taken a couple of days later, allegedly by Wood.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/8/17/2046414/-Trump-loving-county-clerk-faces-consequences-after-massive-security-breach-of-election-equipment

Fucking criminals. Corrupting the very methods and mechanisms they were obligated and duty-bound to protect.

[mahina]

1. Thank you. Do you think that in all these audits the loonies are getting information about who voted

For whom?

[Bev54]

2. So the only consequence is being replaced for the next election?

How about some jail time?

[Dan]

3. I find it beyond belief that there was not criminal activity.

The SOS's office can only bar Peters, but cannot remove her - pending further investigation?

I could have been fired if I had done that while working with the government. There were so many security briefing and classes I had to take, plus sign off on indicating that I was aware of potential liability for breeching security.

Hell, maybe I should move to Colorado get a job in a bank, work with someone to rob the bank - may not be a crime if I am a bank employee.

[TheRealNorth]

4. I doubt this is the only county....

Where Republicans are messing with the machines.

[TheRealNorth]

5. I doubt this is the only county....

Where Republicans are messing with the machines. Consider how much Republican votes went up in counties that are shrinking in 2020.