CISA selects Kim Wyman, GOP official who criticized false election fraud claims, as election security leader

Kim Wyman, Washington's secretary of state, joins CISA as its senior election security lead.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency named a Republican secretary of state who has challenged GOP attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential race as its top election security official on Tuesday.

Kim Wyman, Washington’s secretary of state since 2013, will take the job of senior election security lead at CISA, the Department of Homeland Security’s primary cybersecurity arm.

“Her decades of experience, unparalleled expertise, and unimpeachable integrity have earned her bipartisan respect at every level of government,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our democracy; Kim and I share a common view that ensuring the security of our elections must be a non-partisan effort.”

CNN first reported that the White House was expected to name Wyman on Monday.

CISA hopes her state experience will bolster relationships with election administrators across the U.S., although Republicans who have pushed for ballot reviews in states such as Arizona may feel less favorably toward her. She has criticized that state’s efforts in particular, efforts that ended in the conclusion that President Joe Biden did in fact win there.

“I can’t get to calling this an audit, or even a recount, because you’re not doing it with any kind of established ground rules or policies or procedures,” Wyman said in a May interview. “It’s an exercise at best. It’s political theater at worst.”

Wyman’s selection is the latest example of the Biden administration indicating its desire to counter election fraud claims. Easterly has signaled plans to continue the election “Rumor Control” site that led to President Donald Trump firing her predecessor, Chris Krebs.

Prior to her election as secretary of state, Wyman served in another election administration role for three terms as Thurston County Auditor. She’s been hailed as an expert on mail-in voting.

“As I assume this new role, I remain committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and working closely with local and state elections officials nationwide to bolster this foundational pillar of our democracy,” said Wyman.

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