The congressional candidates in Illinois have put forward their views on the Disinformation Governance Board.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a "fact sheet" on May 2 describing the Disinformation Governance Board as an internal working group established with the purpose of combatting disinformation, which DHS defines as "false information that is deliberately spread with the intent to deceive or mislead." DHS indicated that under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas, the Department is working to build public trust in the Disinformation Governance Board by providing transparency through quarterly reports.
"The mandate is not to adjudicate what is true or false online or otherwise," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a White House press briefing. "It will operate in a nonpartisan and apolitical manner. It's basically meant to coordinate a lot of the ongoing work that is happening . . . and the focus is on disinformation and threats to the homeland.".
The Disinformation Governance Board will definitely be an issue in the upcoming elections in Illinois. For now, Congressional candidates are responding to the support that Rep. Lauren Underwood and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi have shown towards the mandate.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently stated that the Disinformation Governance Board will be "nonpartisan" and "apolitical," Yahoo News reported. The Board aims to combat disinformation related to human trafficking, extremism, and foreign interference in American elections and politics. Conservatives have expressed concern over the fact that Nina Jankowicz, the board's executive director, has repeatedly spread false information. Jankowicz has made untrue claims about Hunter Biden's laptop, as well as the Steele dossier. Psaki claimed she did not "have any information about this individual" when asked about Jankowicz. DHS told the Associated Press that the board aims to "monitor and prepare for Russian disinformation threats as this year's midterm elections near and the Kremlin continues an aggressive disinformation campaign around the war in Ukraine."
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) recently told Secretary Mayorkas that she believes the Disinformation Governance Board should go even further, according to The Center Square. "What I've heard you describe is internal organizations. What we are looking for is external communications with the American public, including those for whom Spanish is their predominant language to make sure that the information the department around mis- and disinformation campaign is reaching those individuals," Underwood stated. Republican congressional candidates Jack Lombardi, Scott Gryder, Mike Koolidge, James Marter, and Jaime Milton are running in Underwood's district. Republican candidates Karen Kolodziej, Chad Koppie, Peter Kopsaftis, Phil Wood and Chris Dargis are running in U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's (D-Schaumburg) district. Dargis called on Krishnamoorthi to oppose the Disinformation Governance Board. A spokesperson for Krishnamoorthi responded, "Congressman Krishnamoorthi looks forward to debating the issues pertaining to social media and disinformation with the Republican nominee after the primary election on June 28, 2022."
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