TAMPA — Russian operatives have “penetrated” some of Florida’s voter registration systems ahead of the 2018 midterms, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Wednesday, adding new urgency to concerns about hacking.
The state, however, said it has received “zero information” supporting his claim.
“They have already penetrated certain counties in the state and they now have free rein to move about,” Nelson told the Tampa Bay Times before a campaign event in Tampa. He said something similar a day earlier in Tallahassee but declined to elaborate.
“That’s classified,” the Democrat said Tuesday.
He is facing a re-election challenge in November from Gov. Rick Scott, whose administration said it has no knowledge of the allegations made by Nelson.
Nelson and Florida’s other senator, Republican Marco Rubio, wrote a July 2 letter to the 67 county election supervisors about potential threats. But that letter lacked the specificity Nelson laid out.
“County election boards should not be expected to stand alone against a hostile foreign government,” the lawmakers wrote in recommending “a wide range of services” from the Department of Homeland Security.
“We were requested by the chairman and vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee to let the supervisors of election in Florida know that the Russians are in their records,” Nelson told the Times on Wednesday. (audio below) He noted he is a member of the Armed Services subcommittee on cybersecurity.
“The Florida Department of State has received zero information from Senator Nelson or his staff that support his claims,” agency spokeswoman Sarah Revell said in a statement. “Additionally, the Department has received no information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that corroborates Senator Nelson’s statement and we have no evidence to support these claims.
“If Senator Nelson has specific information about threats to our elections, he should share it with election officials in Florida.”
More at the Tampa Bay Times
People should already have their voter registration cards. With positive photo ID and registration should be enough to vote. Further secure the vote with paper ballots (if they can keep the Democrats from “losing” boxes of them before counting).
Seems Nelson is the only person that has this vital information.
Perhaps the Senator should check into the nearest asylum.
Alinsky: pin your failures on someone or something else- wonder how much monies he has looted out of his donations
Why blame the Russians? Rick Scott bought the Florida governor’s spot, spending over $70 million out of his own pocket on his first gubernatorial campaign. Having reached his term limit, he now intends to buy a Florida senatorial seat. He dropped $5 million on early television ads during the first month after announcing his candidacy.
Money buys power, and power is used to acquire more money. It shouldn’t take much imagination to figure out what that eventually leads to. It’s what is presently happening. It’s what the GOP is all about.
The first year tax reform applies, over 50 percent of the total cuts will go to those having income in the top 1 percent. 2027 and following, over 80 percent of the total cuts will go to the top 1 percent, while most earners will be paying higher taxes than they were before the tax reform bill. Meanwhile, deficits of $1 trillion per year will continue to climb.
July 17, 2018 — Scott fights financial disclosure lawsuit
@Greg: Do you know what a Blind Trust is?
Enlightening moment: a financial arrangement in which a person in public office gives the administration of private business interests to an independent trust in order to prevent conflict of interest. Under the trust, the owner does not know how the assets are managed.
Since December 2010, Florida has created over 1,554,800 private sector jobs and the state’s unemployment rate continues to drop.
Why are Socialist Democrats so jealous of success, is it because they have none to show?
@kitt, #5:
I know what a blind trust is supposed to be.
Under Florida state law, there’s no requirement that the assets of an elected official’s spouse be placed in a blind trust. $173 million of the Scott’s assets are in his wife’s name.
As governor of Florida, Scott didn’t have to disclose his wife’s assets. The $173 million came to light because a candidate for the federal office of senator does have such a disclosure requirement.
Rick Scott reveals highest-ever family assets of at least $255 million
The vast majority of democrats are not socialists. Nor does job creation and economic prosperity occur only under the administration of rich republican politicians. The wages of Florida’s average worker rank 32nd in the nation.
@Greg: Wow he has a rich wife big hairy deal, the tourist industry doesnt pay well, what a shock. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/26/us/lawsuit-claims-disney-colluded-to-replace-us-workers-with-immigrants.html
Disney pushes liberal ideology in every production.
Try to get this being wealthy isnt illegal its something everyone wants to be.
Cant show any successes….
@Greg:
And you liberals don’t like it when a candidate spends exorbitant amounts of money on a campaign, right? Obama and Hillary spending a billion dollars each time they ran wasn’t outrageous, was it?
Really? You might want to inform the DNC, because this, in addition to the Democrats embrace of political violence, is what is fueling the “#walkaway” movement.
Why is Nelson lying about the hacking of the election system?
@kitt, #7:
He has a wife he may have used as a means of concealing financial conflicts of interest while serving as governor of Florida. She didn’t make $173 million writing French novels.
Trust but verify is an traditional bit of Russian wisdom I would have thought republicans would appreciate. It has apparently been replaced by Let’s just take their word for it, which serves them better.
You’re not even curious about Trump’s tax returns. Why did Deutsche Bank loan him $70 million after he defaulted on $330 million? Where did the money come from? You really don’t want to know.
@Greg: You sexist dog thinking a woman cant become a millionaire on her own, check your liberal privilege there sunshine. Other peoples finances are none of your business go clean your own house Mad Max, how did she afford a mansion well outside her slum district 750K to her daughter? Pelosi is living pretty large her district a slum looking area filled with homeless and drug addicts and no bathroom facilities if you dont count the sidewalk. I know democrats love the poor they keep making so many that way. Clinton record Black arrests, Obama record Black welfare, Trump Record black employment.
Maybe if Barry unseals all his records Trump might unseal his taxes, maybe not.
You are right I really dont care.
I dont think Ann Scott FLOF is an author at all. https://www.flgov.com/meet-the-first-lady/biography/ A business degree hmmm
Private financial business becomes the public’s business the moment a person is entrusted with governmental powers that can be misused to their own personal advantage. If they can’t accept that entirely reasonable requirement, they have no business running for office. The public has every right to hold their elected officials to a higher standard.
@Greg: Seems the proper disclosures have been made, beyond that MYOB and stop trying to play the socialist game of making success and wealth a crime. Every rising Republican has the same attacks, I can see him trying for 2024 presidential run, and being able to finance much of his own campaign. Hold your own Party to the standards you demand.
@Greg:
She didn’t make money selling US uranium to Russians, either, or peddling US influence. Yet, this is OK with you.
Spouting the right’s loony Uranium One nonsense might serve as an instantly recognizable indicator of simple minded gullibility. Belief requires a total disregard for easily understandable, readily available facts.
@Greg: Yeah, loony. $500,000 goes from Russian hands to Clinton’s and then Russia winds up with 20% of our uranium. Can’t get any more loony than that. Now, wanting to IMPEACH Trump for Russian connections that no one has been able to find even a thread of existing after 3 years of searching… THAT’S sanity.
Well… he was lying. Shocking.
@Greg: Does that apply to the Clinton Foundation? They still have not provided an accurate accounting to the public. Maybe it only applies to those who Greg and the Liberals hate! Maybe it is only another reason for liberals losing elections other than their in competencies. What had Nelso accomplished in his life?
@Randy: Certainly, look at the left’s reaction to the accusations of domestic abuse against Keith Ellison. The just blow it off. Do you see them interviewing his ex-girlfriend 24/7 on CNN, like they did anyone that they could get to make accusations against Trump?
Those are liberal principles. How bad a problem is is inversely proportional to how much value it has against the opposition.
@Deplorable me: The lefties have no idea what ethics are. Look at Greg. He blasts everything Trump does and says, but fails to recognize worst behavior on the left. I always thought he was ignorant and then plain stupid. I am resigned to think Greg and his buddies on the left are just brainless. When their leaders say something, they just keep repeating it over and over again no matter the facts.
@Randy: They are insecure hypocrites that feel it is OK for any law to be broken by liberals promoting the liberal agenda while it is also OK to break laws persecuting Republicans trying to do their job.