美国国家公共电台 NPR Shelby Pierson: Threats To 2020 Election May Now Be 'Broader

Shelby Pierson: Threats To 2020 Election May Now Be 'Broader

NOEL KING, HOST:

Will the 2020 elections be secure from interference either foreign or domestic? Yesterday, I asked Shelby Pierson. She is the first ever intelligence community election threats executive. She was appointed by then-Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats in July of 2019. Her job is to work with intelligence agencies like the CIA, the FBI, the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security to identify and fight actors that are trying to interfere¹ with our voting process.

SHELBY PIERSON: The Russians, for example, are already engaging in influence operations relative to candidates going into 2020. But we do not have evidence at this time that our adversaries² are directly looking at interfering³ with vote counts or the vote tallies⁴.

KING: Is it fair to say we don't know what Russia is going to do yet?

PIERSON: I think that is a fair characterization. And I would also say that this isn't a Russia-only problem. We're still also concerned about China, Iran, non-state actors, hacktivists and frankly⁵ - certainly for DHS and FBI - even Americans that might be looking to undermine confidence in the elections.

KING: After Russia interfered⁶ in the 2016 election, there was this push for transparency about attempts to influence our elections. Pierson told me she's walking a line between not wanting to frighten people, but also wanting to keep them informed.

PIERSON: Transparency enables resilience. And sunlight is the best disinfectant. So the more that we talk about the threat, potentially more we empower voters to understand this as merely a reality of today's landscape - and that despite all of those challenges, we're managing them or countering them. And they should vote.

KING: You are constantly doing the calculus⁷ on this...

PIERSON: Absolutely.

KING: ...You are constantly trying to figure out, is it worth saying it now? Is it worth waiting and seeing how much of a threat it is?

PIERSON: Absolutely.

KING: Would you say that's a daily occurrence?

PIERSON: The challenge for us is that for anyone who has any tenure⁸ in the intelligence community, we're in the business of threats...

KING: Sure. Sure.

PIERSON: ...So we're seeing information day in and day out. And I think the challenge is, to your point, when does that mature enough to the point where it's either actionable, where the target can take meaningful countermeasures so that it is stopped in its tracks, so to speak - all the way to are we going to reveal this because it'll help raise awareness⁹ and sensitize people?

KING: This sounds like a very difficult balancing act. The U.S. intelligence community agrees that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit President Trump¹⁰ and hurt Hillary Clinton. President Trump has openly joked about Russia interfering in the 2016 election. In fact, he appeared to joke with Vladimir Putin about it. At times, he doesn't appear to take this threat seriously. That has to make your job harder.

PIERSON: We are looking at the spectrum¹¹ of information that comes into us day in and day out to enable all the missions. And that can continue, frankly, unencumbered by any of the comments or political discourse¹² that you hear globally about this topic. I will say that the intelligence community has the authorities it needs. It has the resources it needs. And when we have needed the president to relay warnings - for example, most recently to Mr. Lavrov in Russia - he has done so.

KING: Sergey Lavrov?

PIERSON: Yes.

KING: Would you just explain what you mean there, if you would?

PIERSON: Sure. I think the interagency process, not just the intelligence community, has strongly encouraged leaders - whether that includes President Trump or Secretary of State Pompeo or Secretary of Defense¹³ Mr. Esper - to relay information to our international colleagues that interfering in the U.S. elections is unacceptable to the United States. And that type of messaging is very important in terms of ensuring the global cognizance that this is activity that will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form.

KING: You don't feel yourself having to work around President Trump?

PIERSON: Not at all.

KING: Here are some things that we're learning now. Last week, a private American company, Area 1 Security, reported that it had discovered that Russia had successfully compromised a Ukrainian energy conglomerate¹⁴, which includes Burisma, the company at the center of the impeachment¹⁵.

This is a private company saying it detected interference in Ukraine, which could indicate interference in the U.S. election. The method by which Russia interfered with this conglomerate was the same thing that they did in 2016 to us. Why was it not the U.S. government that told us about what happened, about Russia hacking¹⁶ Burisma?

PIERSON: I think this is a really important point, because frankly there is a whole consortium of players in this landscape, which include private security firms and, in fact, not just international infrastructure¹⁷ organizations like Burisma, but frankly even some of our state and local elections. Their cybersecurity comes from private security firms. So those organizations will actually have deeper and technical insight into those networks before the intelligence community will.

KING: These private companies, do they share information with the U.S. intelligence community?

PIERSON: Well, I think many of these firms, particularly larger ones, will sell reports based upon the information that they have access to. And some of that's very important to complement¹⁸ the holdings that we have in the intelligence community.

KING: Are you saying those private security companies are also selling intelligence to the United States government?

PIERSON: Yes. They can sell their services. And some of the most common firms - FireEye and CrowdStrike. And, in fact, I think those two firms, for example, have done really good work where, based upon the analysis and expertise¹⁹ and information analysis that they do resident within those firms, those are products and services that they can sell to the U.S. government.

KING: I am surprised to hear that private companies are selling information to the U.S. intelligence community, information that the U.S. intelligence community itself does not have. Am I being naive²⁰?

PIERSON: Well, it's not necessarily naivete. I think it really needs to be an open discussion about, why is the landscape the way it is? And frankly, I think many Americans might have concerns about the U.S. federal government or Big Brother having technical access to a full spectrum of networks. I think there really needs to be an open debate about that before people presume that the intelligence community should have a presence on everyone's network.

KING: Do you see that debate happening?

PIERSON: I think it's one that's burgeoning²¹, certainly, because sometimes, Noel, I feel that the intelligence community is held accountable for a lot of information that it's not necessarily - doesn't have access to or isn't part of its mission and purview²².

KING: We know that Americans are spreading misinformation. Sometimes they're doing it deliberately²³, sometimes they're not at all doing it deliberately. It can be a post on social media that we don't know is fake. Is that a bigger threat to the election than foreign interference?

PIERSON: Well, I think there's two aspects of that. You know, let's be very clear that of course the federal government encourages and wants as broad and free speech as possible. That is a principle of our country, and it's probably one of the most valuable cornerstones of our society. So we want people to engage in public exchange, political exchange and to have that freedom unfettered from foreign interference.

But at the same time, I think we also want to make sure that if we or the firms involved are aware that this information is foreign-sponsored and is covert²⁴ in terms of its sponsorship to the user, we want to do everything we can to manage that information.

KING: You say that the American public needs to be cognizant that misinformation is out there. We also know that Americans increasingly live in very partisan²⁵ spaces, that much of the media that they are looking at takes one position or another. Is there anything at all that you can do to deal with the fact that, more than ever, we are a bifurcated²⁶ nation, we are people who believe different things?

PIERSON: I would ask that all press outlets²⁷ be introspective about their role, frankly, in civil society in terms of journalistic ethics²⁸ and where they fit into providing nonpartisan information, factually-based information. And I think that's part of this issue that the intelligence community doesn't necessarily have a direct role in this, but I think we're trying to raise cognizance and awareness across all of these constituencies that we all, frankly, have a role, in a variety of capacities, in countering this threat.

KING: What about the president of the United States making false or misleading statements?

PIERSON: Well, I think the challenge is whether or not that's being promulgated²⁹ or deliberately fomented³⁰ by a foreign intelligence service or a foreign government. And I think that's the type of information that if we have holdings within the intelligence community, we're going to certainly look to share that information as broadly as needed to stop it.

KING: It sounds like what you're saying is if the president says something false, other countries can use that to their advantage.

PIERSON: I think the challenge for us is not necessarily the accuracy of an individual statement, but as I mentioned, this issue of whether or not an intelligence service, a foreign government is using it for manipulative purposes, particularly purposes that are covert, here in the United States. And that's where we want to step in.

KING: Shelby Pierson, intelligence community election threats executive. Ms. Pierson, thank you so much for coming in.

PIERSON: Thank you for having me.

1 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

2 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

3 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

4 tallies   

n.账( tally的名词复数 )；符合；（计数的）签；标签v.计算，清点( tally的第三人称单数 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

8 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

9 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

10 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

11 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

12 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

15 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

16 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

17 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

18 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

19 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

20 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。

21 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

22 purview   

n.范围；眼界

参考例句：

• These are questions that lie outside the purview of our inquiry.这些都不是属于我们调查范围的问题。
• That,however,was beyond the purview of the court;it was a diplomatic matter.但是，那已不在法庭权限之内；那是个外交问题。

23 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

24 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

25 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

26 bifurcated   

a.分为两部分

参考例句：

• Over the past 15 years the marketplace for art books has bifurcated. 过去15年里，卖艺术类书籍的市场逐渐分化。
• This bifurcated view was reflected in how U.S. officials described the trip. 这种一分为二的观点也反映在美国官员自己对访华之行的描述上。

27 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

28 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

29 promulgated   

v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等）

参考例句：

• Hence China has promulgated more than 30 relevant laws, statutes and regulations. 中国为此颁布的法律、法规和规章多达３０余项。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The shipping industry promulgated a voluntary code. 航运业对自律守则进行了宣传。 来自辞典例句

30 fomented   

v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His words finally fomented her hostility. 他的言词终于引发了她的敌意。 来自辞典例句
• His legs should be fomented. 应当对他的双腿进行热敷。 来自互联网