The Department of Justice announced Tuesday the creation of a cyber task force, including the FBI, that will counter efforts to interfere with U.S. elections.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions signed a memorandum Friday, less than one week after special counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians for interfering with the the 2016 presidential election. Sessions warned of the dangers of the internet and the “tools” it has provided criminals in interfering with the U.S. government.
“At the Department of Justice, we take these threats seriously. That is why today I am ordering the creation of a Cyber-Digital Task Force to advise me on the most effective ways that this Department can confront these threats and keep the American people safe,” Sessions said in a written statement.
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The task force reportedly will include representatives from different branches of the Justice Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The internet has given us amazing new tools that help us work, communicate, and participate in our economy, but these tools can also be exploited by criminals, terrorists, and enemy governments,” Sessions said.
Over a year into President Donald Trump’s administration, no evidence has been presented in public that Trump or any of his associates colluded with Russian operatives’ interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Sessions said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will appoint a senior department official to chair the new task force.
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