(This post has updates below, including new information from Marilyn Marks.)

When homes are under construction they become soft targets for robbers. I should know, it happened to me.

The same can be said for crime scenes: while officials are picking up the pieces, “investigating” (more on that in a minute), gearing up for a 2024 presidential election, and shoring up defenses from a past series of domestic intrusions, it’s a prime opportunity to attack and cause chaos.

Here we go again

Which brings us to the news breaking (via CNN & CyberScoop) that Coffee County, Georgia, experienced a cyber attack connected to an apparent ransomware demand. And that means we now have to distinguish between domestic terrorists *and* (apparent) international cyber criminals who both targeted Coffee County to achieve their goals, which are as-yet-unknown. From and at CyberScoop:

The computer infrastructure of a Georgia county at the center of an effort to falsely claim that the state’s 2020 presidential election was marked by fraud was struck by a cyberattack earlier this month that prompted state officials to sever Coffee County’s access to statewide election systems.

The important context here is that Fulton County was ALSO victim of a ransomware attack earlier this year, the doing of a transnational-hacker outfit with RIS connections called LockBit. So far, there’s no indication that this most-recent cyber caper in Coffee County was done by the same group. But the timing (months apart) and locations of both should not be discounted. Fulton County was also scene of numerous alleged crimes—felonies that were rolled up by Fani Willis in a sprawling RICO case that is ongoing.

I should also note the LockBit intrusion happened simultaneous to Mike Roman’s little counter-insurgency “project” targeting Fulton County DA Willis’ sex life. At the time, I found that coincidence striking to say the least.

Same players, different day

CNN referred to Coffee County as “flashpoint for Drumpf supporters’ efforts to overturn 2020 election,” which is like calling the fight over DEI part of the “culture war.” Coffee County is a crime scene, one that was invaded and breached for partisan gain to steal sensitive election data and assist transnational mob’s efforts to reinstall Casino Mobster in the job he previously stole in 2016.

Upon learning of the cyber attack, Marilyn Marks, Executive Director of Coalition for Good Governance (along with Coffee County citizen Jeanne DuFort and others) sent an open-records request for responsive documents to Coffee County attorneys at Hall Booth Smith—the same law firm embroiled in the first intrusion perpetrated by supporters of donald trump. (Note: CGG is currently in litigation with Hall Booth for sanctions in the previous intrusion cases.)

Here’s the email correspondence, provided exclusively to me by Ms. Marks of CGG. And note, Hall Booth did not comply with Marilyn’s request for documents by close-of-business yesterday, Friday 26 April.

 

When reached for comment, Jeanne DuFort told me in a Twitter DM that officials across the state of Georgia are defaulting to the same lackluster response from previous incidents.

“It’s disturbing that Coffee County officials continue to delay and deny, including failing to inform their Board of Election members that their voter registration system was effectively shut down during the final week voters could register to vote in the May Primary,” she said. “It also appears that the default position of the Secretary of State’s office is to claim ‘we secure the vote’ while failing to engage cybersecurity professionals to fully assess the incident. They appear to be ignoring previous testimony in Federal Court as well.”

DuFort added that, in Curling v. Raffensperger, plenty of evidence was cited of ongoing risks to elections systems, and she noted there is no expert currently advising Coffee County on matters of cybersecurity.

Lack of response is an invitation

The abysmal effort to investigate the previous crimes in Coffee County, Georgia, serves as de facto invitation to future wrongdoers to come back for more. GBI is on-record having failed its duty to adequately probe the intrusions carried out by TFG’s supporters; Raffensperger’s explanations for what he knew and when changed with a stiff breeze; and no other state body (which are all controlled by republicans, it should be noted) is even bothering to investigate the 2021 intrusions, allegedly carried out and financed by Sidney Powell (which, some have reported, connects to the ratf**king goals of disgraced general Mike Flynn).

This is a breaking news story and I will be updating as events warrant. If you have any information that can push the story forward please reach out to me here. ⚖️

Heat-seeking indictments deployed by Fani Willis blew up Coffee County conspiracy. Here’s what could come next

UPDATE (28 April 2024): The same repub regime in Georgia that lied about Coffee County election intrusions in 2021 is LYING AGAIN about when the state responded to the recent cyber attack, per Marilyn Marks. And since most every election-related scandal can be traced back to media failure (local, state and national; in this case, AJC), their lies were typed up as facts.

UPDATE 2 (29 April 2024): happy 2-year anniversary to Gabe Sterling lying about Coffee County intrusions/cybercrimes, to all who celebrate. In very real ways, we should be thankful that Sterling lied (in very public fashion) because it serves as historical marker for just how long it took for The GOP Enterprise to face up to what their tribe did in our great state of Georgia. Good reminder that it took 18 months to even *start examining* what happened, and now, with the new cyberattack, they’re up to the same friggin’ antics.

UPDATE 3 (29 April 2024): Marilyn Marks compiled an update on the Coffee County cyberattack for CGG that you can read here, and I added it to my Coffee County megathread.

 

Will Pollocksideways is a perpetually crabby New York City escapee based in Midtown Atlanta. He’s a freelance multimedia journalist, media analyst and author of three books (award-winning Pizza for Good & Leaving Triscuit), and his first children’s book, Gentle with Gertie.

In 2001, Will earned his Masters from The Medill School of Journalism, graduating with highest honors from the magazine sequence. As permanent member of Journalism’s National Honors Society, he’s been active in monitoring, writing and blogging about media and journalism ever since he graduated.

Obsessed with good storytelling and journalistic excellence, Will uses snark, humor and reason to distill dumb shit and make it fun. He’s a seeker/maker of non-consensus news, and helps you cure crankies by finding the nut in every story.

As for-profit media continues to fail us, it’s more important than ever to find reliable sources. Authentic storytelling exists—you just have to look for it. On this blog you’ll get ideas, not ideology. Sass with class. Reporting with rapport. Evidence with a touch of evil. You get the idea.

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