On election security as a national security issue
Javed Ali and a bipartisan group of former national security officials recently co-signed a letter urging Congress to take more action against the security threat of election subversion.
Appearing on The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC Ali said, “Election security is not just an issue of domestic politics anymore. It's a national security issue. What we saw with the 2016 elections and the 2020 elections is that there are various actors and forces and foreign adversaries who are actively trying to undermine democratic norms, systems, and processes, some of which are election related. There needs to be a complete paradigm shift on how we think of restoring the balance on these things that are traditionally foundations of our democracy. Action by Congress is only part of a much larger piece.”
In another appearance on MSNBC, Ali expressed how election misinformation is a global issue. “This is a whole-of-society issue, there is no one piece of this large ecosystem that can provide all the solutions. Yes, there is a role for the executive branch, yes, there is a role for Congress. But there is a role for the private sector…. There needs to be a lot more work and responsibility on that end. There is a role for all of us as individual citizens of the country to make sure that we know what legitimate sources of information are and not go into rabbit holes of misinformation.”
On protests abroad
A recent protest in Auckland, New Zealand that saw over 3,000 individuals organize outside the Parliament building drew comparisons to the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Speaking to Newshub, Ali observed that COVID-19 public health efforts had "introduced a whole new series of issues that have led to grievances for individuals or groups that have fuelled this populist anger." Citing examples of the Oklahoma City Bombing and the more recent plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whiter, Ali said he hoped that New Zealand didn’t follow the same path as the United States, where anti-governmental sentiment has fueled “mass casualty terrorism.”
Who doesn't want faster cellular service?
A planned rollout of 5G high-speed cellular service by major network providers took a back seat this week as the FAA began to investigate possible interference with radar altimeters of commercial airlines––a critical tool to help pilots land in bad weather. Weighing in, Ali told ABC News, “We’re going to have to see what the FAA will do working with not only the technology providers but the aviation industry to make sure that there is enough testing involved.”
Read and watch items featuring Ali
- Coronavirus: Experts reveal why Tuesday's protest at Parliament didn't end in Capitol-style violence, Newshub, November 10, 2021
- The Rachel Maddow Show, 11/10/21, MSNBC, November 11, 2021
- Natl. security officials sound the alarm on election security, MSNBC, November 10, 2021
- Major cellular carriers delay 5G over urgent concerns about plane safety, ABC News, November 6, 2021
