State Dept. hasn't spent any of its $120M to counter foreign election interference: report

Source: Washington Examiner | March 4, 2018 | Luis Sanchez

The State Department has yet to spend any of the $120 million allocated to it in order to address foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. elections, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Because of the lack of spending, the Global Engagement Center, which is responsible for addressing Russia’s disinformation efforts, does not have a single Russian-speaking analyst, according to the Times.

In the final days of the Obama administration, Congress told the Pentagon to give $60 million to the State Department so it could coordinate efforts to fight Russian and Chinese “anti-democratic propaganda,” the Times reported.

Tillerson took seven months to decide whether to spend the money but, because the fiscal year was just a few days from ending, the Pentagon said the State Department could no longer get it, the Times reported.

The State Department had another $60 million available for the next fiscal year but, after deliberating for five months, finally said last Monday that it would take $40 million.

The State Department expects to get the money around April, according to department officials.

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