Thursday’s announcement by the State Department indicated that it would offer a reward up to $10,000,000 for information regarding foreign interference in U.S. election processes.
In a press release, the department stated that it is looking for information to identify or locate “any foreign individual, including a foreign entity who knowingly engaged in foreign election interference as well as information to prevent, frustrate or resolve an act of foreign electoral interference.” This could include hacking into databases, malicious cyber activity, and running bot-farm campaigns.
This reward announcement is made ahead of the 2022 midterms which will determine the control of the Senate and House.
The Senate Intelligence Committee discovered that Russia had overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump after the 2016 presidential election. They also “engaged in a multifaceted, aggressive effort to influence or attempt to influence the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election.” Robert Mueller, the special counsel, found Russia interfered in the election by hacking into Democratic computer networks and attacking local election offices.
Officials warned that foreign interference could be possible before the 2020 elections. Top intelligence officials claimed that Russia and Iran attempted to interfere with the presidential election in October 2020.
Yet, Trump’s federal election infrastructure officials stated in a joint statement that they considered the 2020 election the “most secure” in American history after the last presidential election.
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act provides funding for the State Department’s reward. More information is available at www.rewardsforjustice.net.
