A new board at the Department of Homeland Security will focus on countering misinformation and disinformation, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told lawmakers today, with Wilson Center fellow Nina Jankowicz separately confirming that she would be executive director of the board.Nobody bothered to check, though, on the credentials of a sympathetic member of Congress.
During a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to discuss the president’s fiscal year 2023 budget request, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ohio) stated that disinformation is a “huge threat to our homeland” and said Mayorkas has “noted that it’s a concern of yours at the border with human smuggling organizations peddling misinformation to exploit vulnerable migrants for profit.” Citing the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on tactics used in the 2016 election campaign, she added that “foreign adversaries attempt to destabilize our elections by targeting people of color with disinformation campaigns.”Lauren Underwood represents a district in Illinois that includes part of DeKalb. The district comprises diverse communities, with more than a few naturalized citizens having Spanish as their first language. An in-kind contribution from a government agency to a member of the Party of Bigger Government is the Chicago Way, isn't it?
“A newer trend that we saw in the 2020 election and already in the 2022 midterms is that disinformation is being heavily targeted at Spanish-speaking voters, sparking and fueling conspiracy theories,” Underwood said to Mayorkas. “DHS and its components play a big role in addressing myths and disinformation in Spanish and other languages. Can you share what steps you’ve taken and what future plans you have to address Spanish-language myths and disinformation through a department-wide approach?”
I have to check whether my area of DeKalb is now in Representative Underwood's district.
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