U.S warns China, Russia, others to desist from interfering with mid-term election
The United States government has issued a note of warning to China, Russia, Iran and other foreign countries about interfering in the mid-term election on Tuesday.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said in a joint statement that America would not entertain any interference with the poll.
“The United States will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections from Russia, China, Iran or other nations,” the statement says.
“Our agencies have been working in unprecedented ways to combat influence efforts and to support state and local officials in securing our elections, including efforts to harden election infrastructure against interference.
“Our goal is clear: ensure every vote is counted and counted correctly.
“At this time we have no indication of compromise of our nation’s election infrastructure that would prevent voting, change vote counts or disrupt the ability to tally votes.
“But Americans should be aware that foreign actors – and Russia in particular – continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord.
“They can do this by spreading false information about political processes and candidates, lying about their own interference activities, disseminating propaganda on social media and through other tactics,” the statement added.
It said further that President Trump had signed an order that the U.S government won’t hesitate to punish any offenders.
“On Sept. 12, President Trump signed an executive order that makes clear the U.S. government will not hesitate to defend our electoral processes or punish those who attempt to undermine them,” it says.
“Our agencies have been making preparations for nearly two years in advance of these elections and are closely engaged with officials on the ground to help them ensure the voting process is secure.
“Americans can rest assured that we will continue to stay focused on this mission long after polls have closed.”
