As ‘Moscow Mitch’ Rings in His Ears, McConnell Backs Election Security
Even if it took a taunt to do it, he approved $250 million for voting protections.
By The Editorial Board
The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.
Sept. 20, 2019
[...]
Mr. McConnell’s team says he’s on board with this new plan because it gives money directly to the states, with few strings attached. Others see that as a problem.
“This amendment doesn’t even require the funding be spent on election security,” said Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat. “Giving states taxpayer money to buy hackable, paperless machines or systems with poor cybersecurity is a waste.”
The majority leader’s aides contend that his support for the funding is not a flip-flop, since the Senate provided for $380 million for election security in its funding bill for fiscal year 2018. This argument would be more convincing if Mr. McConnell hadn’t, on multiple occasions, said the $380 million was enough and that further funding would be a waste.
Whatever the impetus, the crack in the majority leader’s stonewalling is cause for, if not celebration, at least modest cheer. Senate negotiators will now work to reconcile their bill with the House’s version, which provides a more generous $600 million with stricter conditions.
That said, more needs to be done. Democrats are pushing for broader reforms, bipartisan and otherwise.
Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, a Democratic candidate for president, tweeted that Mr. McConnell needed to take up bills to “Strengthen election audits, Adopt paper ballots, Toughen disclosure on social media & Require campaigns to report contact w/ foreign officials trying to interfere.”
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
