Election Interference Emergency Order Nets No Culprits

Last September, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency “to deal with the threat of foreign interference in United States elections.” Executive Order 13848 authorized sanctions against foreign individuals and entities determined to have engaged in election interference.

Six months later, no such individuals or entities have been identified.

“No entities or individuals have been designated pursuant to E.O. 13848,” according to the first semi-annual report on the national emergency issued by the Secretary of the Treasury. As a result, no sanctions were imposed and no civil penalties were assessed. (However, approximately $310,000 was spent to implement the executive order, “most of which represent wage and salary costs for federal personnel.”)

See Periodic Report on the National Emergency With Respect to the Threat of Foreign Interference in United States Elections, September 12, 2018 through March 5, 2019, Department of the Treasury, which was released this week under the Freedom of Information Act.

In a classified report earlier this year, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security said they found no evidence that a foreign government or foreign agent had a material impact on the integrity or security of the 2018 midterm elections.