U.S. firms deny link to Chavez
Investigation targets 2 voting-machine makers
Sequoia Voting Systems Inc., based in Oakland, Calif., said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, was conducting the formal inquiry into it as well as its parent software company, the Smartmatic Corp., at the firms' request after news articles suggested improper ties.
The inquiry was focusing on last year's acquisition of Sequoia by Smartmatic, which is owned by three Venezuelans, and whether Chavez's leftist government has any influence over their operations. Smartmatic is based in Boca Raton, Fla.
Chavez is a longtime foe of the Bush administration who drew criticism from lawmakers of both U.S. parties last month after he called President Bush "the devil" in a speech at the United Nations.
"Sequoia and Smartmatic are not connected, owned or controlled by the Venezuelan government whatsoever," Jeff Bialos, a Washington attorney representing the two firms, said in a telephone interview.
"There's no basis for the allegations. We were trying to prove a negative, so the two companies voluntarily submitted a notice asking CFIUS to review the acquisition to put to rest the press allegations," he said.
Brookly McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, which oversees the foreign investment committee, said Sunday that CFIUS has been in contact with Smartmatic but declined to comment as to whether there was a formal investigation.
The probe, disclosed in the final days before the November congressional elections, comes amid growing concern about the reliability of electronic voting machines in what are expected to be many tight races nationwide.
A report released earlier this month by The Century Foundation think tank found problems with malfunctioning voting machines in 10 states it sampled. Activists, meanwhile, have filed lawsuits in at least nine states contending the new electronic voting machines are not secure.
The inquiry also comes after the political furor earlier this year over a buyout that put a Dubai company in control of some operations at six American ports. The outcry led the Dubai company, DP World, to promise it would sell the U.S. operations to an American company.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said Sunday she welcomed the formal review after she asked the government in May to examine the Sequoia takeover.
"It's a national security issue," she said in a telephone interview. "Having a foreign government investing or owning a company in this country that makes voting machines could raise a question about the integrity of the elections."
Comments
- Desperate Mets trade OF Church 1:19 a.m.
- Niemann pitches Rays past the A's 1:08 a.m.
- Giants' Sanchez tosses no-hitter 1:07 a.m.
- Orlando signs Bass; Hill stays a Sun 1:06 a.m.
- Jazz rookies quiet Thunder youngsters 1:05 a.m.
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak 1:05 a.m.
- Tweeters with Utah ties 12:50 a.m.
- Twitter lets fans communicate, interact 12:49 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match 12:17 a.m.
- Teacher faces new sex charges 12:09 a.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Jazz down Oklahoma City
- 2 Tooele police officers fired
- BYU professor to work on Hebrew Bible
- Dems: tax the rich for health care
- Baseball teams fear 'haunted' hotel
- LDS seminary principal arrested
142 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
88 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
By now you've probably read about the investigation that showed just how...
Here's BYU's press release on Jonathan Tavernari's big game for the...
Didn't Obama and Biden just admit to the fact that the stimilus programs were...
The last part of the article about Cowherd is classic!!! I normally like the...
This man was my teacher in high school. He is my friend, he was like a father...
I like millsap, but portland just burried themselves. They made themselves...
It's amazing how quickly society is willing to vaccinate it's children with...
The first income tax was introduced during the Civil War, that's only 70...
If he really did what the evidence seems to show, I don't think he should be...
Utah needs Portland too much. It's much harder than you think to find good...
stacy, have you ever eaten there ??
I had Brother Pratt at Viewmont High School my sophomore year... I was really...


You can be the first to comment on this story.