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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 9 december 2020
Cybersecurity official fired by Trump sues over threats

By BEN FOX "It has fundamentally up- claims made by Mr. Krebs
Associated Press rooted their lives," Walden in his suit of a 'conspiracy'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The said. "He and his family feel and defamation against
U.S. cybersecurity official terribly threatened." him are a threat to free
who was fired last month Krebs was director of the speech and his legal ac-
by President Donald Trump Cybersecurity and Infra- tion endangers all media
filed a lawsuit Tuesday over structure Agency until he organizations that seek an
threatening remarks by a was fired in a Nov. 17 tweet open discourse of ideas
lawyer for the president by Trump after he and oth- and news," the network
that prompted a wave of er officials who oversaw the said.
death threats against him. election determined it was The Trump campaign did
Christopher Krebs says in free of major fraud or inter- not immediately respond
the suit that he has been ference, contradicting the to requests for comment.
"bombarded" with threats president's unsubstantiated A former Microsoft execu-
since attorney Joseph assertions to the contrary. tive, Krebs ran the agency,
diGenova appeared on DiGenova said in a Nov. 30 known as CISA, from its cre-
the pro-Trump TV network appearance on Newsmax ation in the wake of Russian
Newsmax and called for that Krebs should be "drawn In this May 22, 2019, file photo, Christopher Krebs, director of interference with the 2016
Krebs to be killed. and quartered" and "taken the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, testifies election through the No-
"The defendants' threats out at dawn and shot" for on Capitol Hill in Washington. vember election. He won
have upended plaintiff's his defense of the Novem- Associated Press bipartisan praise as CISA
life, as well as his family's se- ber election won by Joe coordinated federal state
curity, and caused serious Biden and his participation allegations about the vote. Newsmax and the Trump and local efforts to defend
fear, distress, suffering, and in what he portrayed as a "No one should be target- campaign. electoral systems from for-
even physical damage," "coup" against the presi- ed and defamed as a 'trai- Newsmax said in response eign or domestic interfer-
he said in the lawsuit, filed dent. tor' for faithfully performing to questions about the suit ence.
in diGenova's home state He later said he had been the duties of public ser- that it has no official ties CISA issued a statement in
of Maryland. joking in the interview but vice," he said. "That is what to diGenova, who was November with a coalition
Amid the threats, Krebs, the lawsuit calls the re- happened to Chris and to appearing on a syndicat- of government and indus-
a Republican and Trump marks "shockingly irrespon- Republicans all across the ed radio program whose try election officials from
appointee, was forced to sible and dangerous," in country, who truthfully, and content is licensed by the around the country that
move out of his home in Vir- the tense political climate. based on their substantial network. It noted that his defended the 2020 elec-
ginia for several days and Walden said it's part of a experience, are upholding remarks about Krebs were tion as the "most secure in
hire private security. He broader effort by the presi- the integrity of the election "inappropriate" but that he American history." It was
still keeps his children from dent's allies to intimidate in the face of a false narra- did not intend for them to widely viewed as a direct
playing in their front yard public officials, especially tive regarding its results." be taken seriously and he repudiation of Trump's ef-
out of fear, attorney Jim Republicans, to prevent Krebs is seeking financial has apologized. forts to undermine the in-
Walden said. them from refuting baseless damages from diGenova, "Newsmax believes that tegrity of the contest.q

U.S. fully restores

protections for young

immigrants

By NOMAAN MERCHANT The announcement is still
and ELLIOT SPAGAT a major victory for young
Associated Press people who have been un-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The able to apply since Trump
Trump administration said ended DACA in September
Monday that it fully restored 2017. His administration has
the Obama-era Deferred long argued that DACA is
Action for Childhood Ar- unconstitutional.
rivals program that shields Maria Garcia, 18, an aero-
hundreds of thousands of space engineering student
young people from depor- at Arizona State University,
tation, complying with a said she will apply for the
federal judge's order. program as soon as she
The Department of Home- can. She and her parents
land Security posted on its and two brothers arrived
website that it is accepting in Phoenix in 2006 Mexico.
new applications, petitions Her older brother, now 23, is
for two-year renewals and already a DACA recipient
requests for permission to and has a job. Her younger
temporarily leave the U.S. brother, now 16, is in high
The department said it school and plans to even-
"may seek relief from the tually seek DACA protec-
order," signaling that its tion as well.
concession to the court or- Garcia said the court's de-
der may be short-lived if its cision last week "was won-
legal efforts succeed. derful news." q