DHS Requires Voting-Machine Security Upgrades for Federal Election Grants

On July 17 Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced from the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building that the Department of Homeland Security will require states to secure voting machines and review voter registration lists to receive federal grants or reimbursement for running federal elections, while disclosing that the department had identified nearly 278,000 foreign nationals registered to vote nationwide, including 250,000 in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada.

The department has sent letters to election officials stating that prosecution could follow if non-citizen voters are found. The administration will pursue maximum pressure to ensure state compliance, Mullin said. It is examining individuals in the intelligence community and the administration of former President Joe Biden for possible accountability over 2020 election matters.

"Everybody who purposely misled the American people, abused their power and authority, and decided not to continue doing their job will be held accountable," he stated. Mullin described as shameful the decision by major television networks to decline to air President Donald Trump’s July 16 primetime address.

Trump had requested airtime from ABC, NBC and CNN, which declined to carry the half-hour speech in full.

Fox News aired it with caveats. California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on social media that California has free, fair and secure elections and will fight for them. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez stated that the FCC has no authority to punish a station for refusing to air a political speech and that any threat to revoke licenses is unconstitutional.