Kelly, Gallego Demand Answers from DHS for Slow Response to AZ Cyberattack

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) jointly wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, demanding answers for the slowness of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) amidst the recent cyberattack on Arizona's state candidate portal.

As Cactus Politics has covered, the website was attacked by hackers, allegedly affiliated with Iran, in mid-July. According to Sens. Gallego and Kelly, while Arizona officials were able to contain the breach alone, "it is deeply troubling that the state did not feel it could rely on CISA for rapid, coordinated support in responding to the incident."

"Until recently, CISA served as a trusted federal partner to election officials, offering threat intelligence, technical assistance, and incident response," the letter continued, adding, "We have heard firsthand from Arizona officials that this trust has eroded. Officials describe a dramatic reduction in support, staffing, and communication from CISA, as well as a lack of confidence in the agency's ability to collaborate in good faith on election security."

Thus, Kelly and Gallego posited several questions for Noem to answer, including what resources and personnel were authorized to help contain the cyberattack, if they intend to restore the number of staff, technical programs, and regional infrastructure that CISA possessed in 2024, and how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will work to ensure CISA regains its trust with Arizona.

"We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how DHS can strengthen coordination with Arizona officials ahead of future election cycles," the letter concluded. "Protecting our election infrastructure must be above politics. We look forward to your response and to a renewed federal commitment to securing the cybersecurity of our democracy."

However, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes suggested that he intentionally refused federal assistance, saying, "I just can't trust that this administration takes election security seriously, versus using it for political theater."

Republicans sharply condemned the sentiment in response, with GOP Chair Gina Swoboda arguing, "With critical election infrastructure potentially compromised, voters deserve answers—not silence."