SAINT PAUL —Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order on imposing certain sanctions in the event of foreign interference in a United States election:
“I welcome the President’s acknowledgment that the United States must take a stronger stand against those who wish to interfere with our free and fair elections,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “The number one threat to the integrity of our elections is the danger of a cyber attack by outside forces trying to undermine our democracy. However, more than two years after the Russian government attempted unsuccessfully to breach Minnesota’s elections systems, today’s announcement is a long-delayed response that barely scratches the surface. In Minnesota, we have been working tirelessly to harden our elections systems in advance of the midterms, now just 55 days away. The best rebuttal to Russia that Minnesotans can offer is to continue to lead the nation in voter participation.”