Republicans aren’t done gutting our Federal Government. They are now working on removing those who work to secure our elections from bad actors like Russia and replace them with loyalists or useful idiots. Matthew Masterson is the current chairman of the US Election Assistance Commission originally nominated by Boehner and confirmed by Obama in 2014. Ryan and Trump are removing Masterson who has earned praise by those working on the front lines of our elections. Both Democrats and Republicans get to nominate members of this Commission and while the chairmanship rotates amongst members, others on the Commission aren’t happy about Masterson not remaining in any capacity. No names have been mentioned by Ryan or his office as Masterson’s replacement nor have they said whether the new person will have expertise in the field of cyber security.
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Masterson has been a popular figure among state election officials, many of whom have praised his expertise and leadership on cyber security issues and expressed chagrin at his pending departure. The agency was created by Congress in 2002 to assist states in complying with federal election standards.
The action raises fresh questions over the degree to which Republican President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans who control Congress are taking steps to protect the security of American elections, and some state officials have accused them of doing too little to address the threat.
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The reason for passing over Masterson and whether the decision originated with Ryan or the White House remained unclear. Some Republicans over the years have sought to eliminate or reduce the agency, arguing that it represents a federal overreach into the role of states in running elections.
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“It is pretty remarkable that in this environment, given the importance of this issue, that the speaker would choose this moment to not reappoint the person doing the most work in this area,” said Judd Choate, Colorado’s election director and the immediate past president of the National Association of State Election Directors.
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Under law, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House each recommend one commissioner to be nominated by the president to fill the agency’s four spots. The Republican-led House Administration Committee last year passed a measure that would terminate the agency on the grounds that it has outlived its usefulness.
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