GOP blocks votes on election security bills

Senate Republicans blocked two election security bills and a cybersecurity measure on Wednesday in the wake of former special counsel Robert Mueller warning about meddling attempts during his public testimony before congressional lawmakers.

Democrats tried to get consent to pass two bills that would require campaigns to alert the FBI and Federal Election Commission about foreign offers of assistance, as well as a bill to let the Senate Sergeant at Arms offer voluntary cyber assistance for personal devices and accounts of senators and staff.

But Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) blocked each of the bills. She didn’t give reason for her objections or say if she was objecting on behalf of herself or the Senate GOP caucus. Hyde-Smith, in a tweet on Thursday, accused Democrats of trying to pass “partisan” bills that had previously been blocked on the Senate floor.

Under Senate rules, any one senator can ask for consent to pass a bill, but any one senator is able to object.

The floor drama comes after Mueller warned about election interference during his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, saying Russia was laying the groundwork to interfere in the 2020 election “as we sit here.”