Election auditors and lawyers are seen working during early voting at the Miami-Dade County Election Department in Miami, Florida on October 21, 2020. (AFP photo)
US Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Marco Rubio and vice chairman Mark Warner are blaming the countrys "adversaries" over the divide in the nation ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
"Our adversaries abroad seek to sow chaos and undermine voters belief in our democratic institutions, including the election systems and infrastructure that we rely on to record and properly report expressions of the voters will," they claimed. "They may seek to target those systems, or simply leave the impression that they have altered or manipulated those systems, in order to undermine their credibility and our confidence in them."
The United States has been gripped with protests and chaos ahead of the November race amid the nations long-time struggle to fight police brutality and systemic racism.
"As we enter the last weeks before the election, we urge every American - including members of the media - to be cautious about believing or spreading unverified, sensational claims related to votes and voting," they added. "State and local election officials are in regular contact with federal law enforcement and cyber security professionals, and they are all working around the clock to ensure that Election 2020 is safe, secure, and free from outside interference."
US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John Ratcliffe was more forthright in his claim, directly pointing the finger at Russia and Iran.
"We have identified that two foreign actors, Iran and Russia, have taken specific actions to influence public opinion relating to our lessons," Ratcliffe claimed. "Do not allow these efforts to have the intended effect. If you receive an intimidating, or manipulative email in your inbox. Dont be alarmed and do not spread it."
US President Donald Trump, who is hoping to get reelected against his rival, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, has for long asserted that the US elections are "rigged," an idea rejected by the DNI.
"Even if the adversaries pursue further attempts to intimidate or attempt to undermine voter confidence, know that our election systems are resilient. And you can be confident, your votes are secure," Ratcliffe claimed.
Washington has previously blamed China as well for alleged attempts to meddle in the upcoming election.
"We are aware that they [Russia] have obtained some voter information, just as they did in 2016, rest assured that we are prepared for the possibility of actions by those hostile to democracy," Ratcliffe further alleged.
Since Trump won presidency back in 2016, there has been a surge in hate and divide in the United States.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/20967
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