Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A Michigan judge ordered the release Monday of an independent forensic audit report of the Dominion Voting Systems machines used in Antrim County, which flipped from a win for Democrat Joe Biden to President Donald Trump after a glitch was discovered and corrected. While the investigation is ongoing, the Federal Bureau of Investigation concluded that a man named Anthony Warner was responsible for the bombing and was killed in the blast ( here , here ). Smartmatic, a competitor of Dominion's that has also been the subject of wild rumors, has demanded that numerous news networks take back their allegations against it. He was present when the bomb went off, and he perished in the bombing," Cochran said. In a letter obtained by NBC News sent to the EAC on Tuesday, the nonprofit public interest group Free Speech for People and the National Election Defense Coalition asked the agency to look into whether ES&S violated agency regulations by implying that DS200 voting machines with modems are EAC certified. The complicated theory began circulating soon after an RV exploded in downtown Nashville. Last month Dominion filed a $1.6bn defamation suit against Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, accusing it of trying to boost ratings by amplifying the bogus claims. Read more about our fact-checking workhere . On Christmas Day, an RV in Nashville, Tennessee, exploded, severelydamaging many of the buildings around it in the explosion. By the time the news conference occurred on Nov. 19, Mr. Trump's campaign had already prepared an internal memo on many of the outlandish claims about the company, Dominion Voting Systems, and. Cerberus Capital previously owned the AT&T Building, onceknownas the BellSouth Building,where the company has operated its Tennessee headquarters since the building's erection in 1994. Jim Greer, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications at AT&T, told Reuters via email: None of the things in the post are true.. All those. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. James Murphy, a spokesperson for MetLife, confirmed the company owns the building. The extent of our relationship is this: In 2009, Smartmatic licensed the use of a Dominion voting machine for use in the Philippines. Full Story. This is part of The Associated Press ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform. He also serves on the boards of Ford Motor Company, MetLife and Duke Energy Corporation (here). The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. "Very, very interesting.". On Dec. 27, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said the explosion appeared to be a suicide bombing carried out by a Warner. AT&T had a contract to conduct a forensic audit of Dominion Voting Systems in Nashville just prior to a December 2020 explosion in that city. February 28, 2023, 1:26 PM. Claims that two buildings that were destroyed on Christmas Day were both holding evidence related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election are untrue. Law enforcement authorities have suggested that Warner may have been paranoid about 5G technology, a QAnon-related conspiracy theory that makes an array of unproven claims including that it helps spread COVID-19 and is used as a spying tool by the government. Spokespeople for both AT&T and Dominion have confirmed that AT&T did not hold a contract to audit Dominion, nor had any of Dominions equipment been moved to Nashville in preparation for such an audit. It is true Kennard serves on the board of Staple Street Capital (not Staple Street execs as the posts say). In preparing for this November's election, the company gamed out all sorts of worst-case scenarios, but it wasn't on anyone's radar that Dominion and its employees could become the targets of threats. A sample ballot is shown via the Dominion Voting Systems that Georgians use to vote. Their evidence: a grainy black-and-white video. "Anthony Warner is the bomber. Since the 2016 election, Michigan authorized $82 million dollars to upgrade its election systems. This material may not be reproduced without permission. However, he is not tied to Joe Biden and is not his sister Valerie Biden Owens husband. Dominion has played a central role in a number of unfounded conspiracy theories alleging election fraud, from foreign ownership to switching votes from one candidate to another. But that is an overstatement, according to a team of 10 independent cybersecurity experts who specialize in voting systems and elections. Heres more information on Facebooks fact-checking program: https://www.facebook.com/help/1952307158131536. More:Neighbor recalls warning, countdown before Nashville explosion. TheBatman-shaped skyscraper was first owned by Prefco XIV, a limited partnership ofPitney Bowes, which bought the building in 1994 for $100.8 million, according to the building's deed. (Read more about ourpartnership with Facebook.). The AT&T buildingon Second Avenueis owned by BellSouth Telecommunications, an operating company of AT&T, according to local records. We therefore again respectfully request that EAC investigate and take action to correct this serious issue., Once you add that modem, you are de-certifying it, Skoglund said. The voting rights of more than 55,000 formerly incarcerated Minnesotans were restored on Friday, as Gov. . In an interview with Rochester's ABC 13, City Blue Imagingsales manager John Mealy condemned misinformation about the tragedy and dismissed the claims again. But now, some state officials worry that the machines may pose a security risk and are pushing to have the modems removed. A Facebook post (here) shared more than a thousand times has falsely claimed: In New York a printing press company, under investigation for printing and shipping fake voting ballots into Pennsylvania, burned to the ground Xmas morning.. Did AT&T Have a Contract to Audit Dominion Voting Systems? Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. The RV was parked on Second Avenue in Nashville, outside an AT&Ttransmission building, among other businesses and residences. The machines America votes on seem to be capturing the interest of some in Congress. EDITORS NOTE (Feb. 7, 2020, 11:15 p.m.): A previous version of this article stated that Kevin Skoglund and his team had found election systems using ES&S scanners with wireless modems connected to the internet in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Dominion provides election equipment and software to 28 states, including many of the swing states on which Trump has focused his post-election ire. One theory shared thousands of times on Facebook over the weekend tries to connect the explosion to voting machines used in the Nov. 3 election. "I actually am in fear for my safety," Coomer said recently, speaking by video call from an undisclosed location to Colorado Public Radio. Dominion representatives havealsodenouncedthe conspiracy theory, calling it another "bizarre lie" with "zero credibility.". Let's start here: The man behind the Dec. 25 bombing in downtown Nashville, Tenn., died of COVID-19, according to a popular and wrong Facebook post. "You can see as theres a line flying in, theres a little bit of a glow and then theres the explosion," a narrator says in the video. On Monday, The Associated Press debunked claims that Dominion has any connection with AT&T. We kept hearing from election officials that voting machines were never on the internet, he said. "I'm in fear for my family's safety. Dominion Voting Systems, a voting machine manufacturer founded in Canada, made equipment that is used in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. The bomb was located in a recreational vehicle that Warner owned. President Donald Trump's attorney Lin Wood reportedly experienced a series of ups and downs Sunday in a court battle to ensure Georgia elections officials do not wipe Dominion voting machines, and won a temporary restraining order following a night-time Zoom hearing. The social media post states "AT&T got contract [sic] to do forensic audit on Dominion voting machines and those machines were being moved to Nashville this past week" before the bombing. However, both AT&T and Dominion have disclaimed the notion that the former company was engaged in audit of the latter, or that any Dominion-related systems were being moved to Nashville in preparation for a "forensic audit" (by anyone). We should not connect our voting machines directly to the computer networks. Next theory: The bombing was an attempt to stop an AT&T audit into Dominion software and cover up election corruption. Social media is home to several conspiracy theories about the explosion in Nashville on Christmas Day. Dominion Voting Systems on Tuesday morning filed three $1.6 billion defamation lawsuits against two pro-Trump media networks and an outspoken Trump ally, the latest in a string of suits from the . It's just the latest example of how people's lives are being upended and potentially ruined by the unprecedented flurry of disinformation this year. . These are real, tangible things coming out of these baseless accusations.". There is no reason to suppose that it would be likely, or even possible, that these buildings, would be used to audit voting machines. This is bogus. Conspiracy theorists say the suicide bombing that rocked downtown Nashville was actually the result of a missile strike. The three largest voting manufacturing companies Election Systems &Software, Dominion Voting Systems and Hart InterCivic have acknowledged they all put modems in some of their tabulators and scanners. Tre Hargett was elected by the Tennessee General Assembly to serve as Tennessees 37th secretary of state in 2009 and re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2021. In a Dominion-themed segment, an Infowars host speaking during a November Washington, D.C., rally presaged the January 6 violence by hyping the . Yet internet sleuths are searching for their own answers, some looking atthin ties toconspiracy theories about the 2020 election as evidence of a broader plot. Videos from law enforcement officials and local businesses show that the explosion occurred on 2nd Avenue North in downtown Nashville. It is no longer federally certified. ", More:Three firefighters hurt battling three-alarm blaze in Rochester. "Conspiracy theory links false claim of AT&T election audit to bombing, Fact check: Hugo Chvez's family does not own Dominion Voting Systems, Fact check: Dominion voting machines didn't delete votes from Trump, switch them to Biden, Live politics updates: Dominion says it may sue over election conspiracy theories, subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Cision PR Newswire archive, July 16, 2018, ", The Tennessean archives, July 23, 2004, ", News Channel 5 Nashville archives, Dec. 18, 2006, ", Email correspondence withJim Greer, a spokesperson for AT&T, Email correspondence with a spokesperson for Dominion Voting Systems. Reuters found no evidence that Cerberus Capital Management (www.cerberus.com/) owns Dominion. Early Christmas morning, police in Nashville came across an RV parked on Second Avenue, outside an AT&T transmission building, whileresponding to reports of shots fired in the area, Metro Nashville P, Fact check: Joe Biden legally won presidential election, despite persistent contrary claims, Neighbor recalls warning, countdown before Nashville explosion, Fact check: Viral photo shows fake logo and slogan for Dominion Voting Systems, Fact check: No, Joe Biden's brother-in-law does not own Dominion Voting Systems, Nashville officials resolved to find bombing suspects, learn motive behind explosion, "Nashville bombing: What we know about downtown explosion on Christmas morning, FBI Memphis Special Agent in Charge Announces Identity of Remains Discovered in Nashville Explosion Site; Multi-Agency Investigation Continues, FBI identifies suspect in Nashville bombing, AT&T outage Sunday updates: 'Progress continues' in restoring service after Nashville bombing, Dominion Voting Systems Acquired by its Management Team and Staple Street Capital. A spokesperson for Dominion Voting Systems confirmed to Reuters via email that the Stephen Owens at Staple Street has no family ties or business affiliations with Bidens sister, Valerie Biden Owens. The wishes are that I forever have to look over my shoulder," Coomer said. Reuters debunked this claim here . Those networks are among the defendants Coomer is suing. "I've been threatened more times than I could even count. The post implies that the bombing was an attempt to stop the audit and cover up voter fraud. Skoglund and his team developed a tool that scoured the internet to see if the central computers that program voting machines and run the entire election process at the precinct level were online. An online search turns up segments on the pro-Trump outlets Newsmax and One America News Network discussing the allegations as well as people accusing Coomer of treason and calling for him to be publicly executed. Posts include debunked conspiracy claims attempting to tie the Nashville explosion Dominion voting systems. "The FBI corralled me in Mankato, Minnesota, and took my cell phone," Lindell told the Reformer. For Coomer, that means his life may be forever changed. On Thursday night, the group performed their set at the Shed in Maryville, Tennessee, with all six of its members wearing dresses in protest of the state's newly enacted law on public drag performance. 2023 www.statesman.com. The bomb squad was en route. IE 11 is not supported. The user who created the post did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. Spokespeople for both AT&T and Dominion have confirmed that AT&T did not hold a contract to audit Dominion, nor had any of Dominions equipment been moved to Nashville in preparation for such an audit. "Fuck a drag bill," they wrote in an Instagram post. Owens, the other co-founder of Staple Street Capital,did not work for Cerberus, despite the post's claim. And I don't know that all these jurisdictions are aware of that because ES&S is advertising otherwise.. No one is currently working out of the building. The Company offers voting systems and scanning devices, as well as resource planning, training management, quality control . Jim Greer, associate vice president for corporate communications at AT&T, was blunt in an email response to PolitiFact: "That is not true," he wrote. The post provides no links to evidence for their allegations. There may not be answers to the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville anytime soon. He has independently become part of the broader Dominion conspiracy theories, though, with some claiming he's Joe Biden's brother-in-law. Facebook post:The Nashville bombing was an attempt to stop an AT&T audit into Dominion software and cover up election corruption. In an all-caps tweet on Saturday night, Trump highlighted a report from One America News Network (OANN), a right-wing outlet, that claimed voting machines made by Dominion Voting Systems. Powell was one of the faces of the Trump. The post displays a headline from a fabricated story by the Genesius Times, a satirical news website, that reads: "BREAKING: Nashville Bomber died from COVID-19 shortly after blowing himself up. Detailed voter instructions for the Infinity voting unit, How to Vote an Optical Scan Ballot with Unisyn Equipment, Public Records Policy and Records Request Form. 4 min read. The 23-page report signed by a former Republican congressional candidate with a history of spreading misinformation about Michigan's election claims Dominion "is intentionally and purposefully designed with inherent errors to create systemic fraud and influence election results.". "Bombing investigations can take years," Darrell DeBusk, an FBI spokesman based inTennessee, told The Tennessean. Some posts have said the Nashville explosion was caused by a missile. More:Fact check: Joe Biden legally won presidential election, despite persistent contrary claims. Reuters Fact Check previously debunked this claim here . Warner died in the blast, according to authorities. A widely sharedpost on Facebook alleges that four days before the bombing, a rumor circulated that AT&T was awarded a contract to audit Dominion's voting machines, which were supposedly being sent to Nashville. In . The bomb was located in a recreational vehicle owned by Warner. The reason? While the post does not specify which building they believed the machines were held in, a Dominion Voting Systems spokesperson said by email that none of their machines were anywhere in the. Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems, which sells electronic voting hardware and software, is suing both Fox News Network and parent company Fox Corp. for defamation. In counties that used Dominion systems, Biden got 888,259 votes to Trump's 851,069. ", More:Nashville police bodycam footage shows raw moments of chaos before and after explosion. The City of Rochester government and police did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Statement:The Nashville bombing was an attempt to stop an AT&T audit into Dominion software and cover up election corruption. Speaker 13 . But to draw that connection, a number of other groups are brought into the fold and it doesn't add up. . Both companies have denied the posts claims, saying that there was no such audit and that Dominions machines were not recently transported to Nashville. And so we set out to try and find the voting machines to see if we could find them on the internet, and especially the back-end systems that voting machines in the precinct were connecting to to report their results.. The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies. "God is at the wheel, but we are the warriors that must do the work of men to repel evil," said one of numerous posts on the conservative social media site Parler. In August 2021, Dominion Voting Systems programmed machines for the county's upcoming elections. Now the process of counting these votes . While the voting machines themselves are not designed to be online, the larger voting systems in many states end up there, putting the voting process at risk. Before starting Staple Street Capital, Yaghoobzadeh worked as a senior vice president for private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. If you have super majorities, Tennessee is like an R plus twenty state. Authorities still dont know the reason for the Christmas day bombing, but theres no evidence it was election related. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. "That's all still speculation at this point as we continue in our investigation with all of our partners. why?" Modems in voting machines are a bad idea, said Appel. He also serves on 16 boards and commissions, on two of which he is the presiding member. Much of the voting equipment was by Dominion. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has dismissed the claim of an election hacking and vote manipulation operation known as Hammer and Scorecard. (here). Federal officials have identified the man believed to be behind the bombing, and they are working to discern a motive. The same Facebook post also said Dominion voting machines were being audited in the AT&T building that was destroyed by a bomb in Nashville. the dominion voting system that was the subject of an enormous amount of controversy, is a dramatic improvement over prior forms of voting. There is no evidence to support the claim that the explosionin Nashville and fire in Rochester, New York,that occurred around the holidays point toward a broader conspiracy to hide election malfeasance. Then Acting Undersecretary for Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security Jeanette Manfra said those words in 2017, testifying before Congress while she was responsible for the security of the nations voting system. DNA found at the scene matched Warner's, according to an FBI press release. ES&S confirmed they had sold scanners with wireless modems to at least 11 states. AT&T not conducting voting machine audit near Nashville explosion site. It also claims the AT&T building that was affected by the bomb is where those machines were being stored. The Christmas morning bomb went off on Second Avenue, outside an AT&T transmission building. Those modems connect to cell phone networks, which, in turn, are connected to the internet. NewsGuard, which vets news sources based on transparency and reliability standards, found recently that among the top 100 sources of news in the U.S., sources it deemed unreliable had four times as many interactions this year compared with 2019. There is no evidence to support the claim that the Nashville bombing or City Blue Imaging's fire were connected to election malfeasance, so we rate this claim FALSE. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which provides cybersecurity frameworks for state and local governments and other organizations, recommends that voting systems should not have wireless network connections. As of now, the person of interest identified by the FBI in connection with the explosion, Anthony Quinn Warner, is believed to have been "paranoid about 5G technology" (another frequent subject of conspiracy theories) rather than possessing any election-related motive. The accusation started with a conservative activist in Colorado, Joe Oltmann. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Shasta will be the first of 40 California counties that used Dominion in the November 2022 election to drop the voting system, Shasta County Clerk/Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen told the . Representatives for companies involved say there is no truth to the claims. Some of the posts attempted to further link AT&T to Dominion by claiming a former owner of the AT&T building was a board member of a firm that owns Dominion. "AT&T got a contract to do forensic audit on Dominion voting machines and those machines were being moved to Nashville this past week," one Dec. 27 post says. More:Fact check: No, Joe Biden's brother-in-law does not own Dominion Voting Systems. Some of the posts (here) say: Dominion voting is owned by Cerberus Capital Management. Cerberus is run by Staple Street Execs.
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