Exclusive: Consultant Claiming White House Backing Tries to Gain Access to Voting Machines in Colorado
Last week, several Republican county clerks in Colorado received unexpected calls from a consultant claiming to work for the White House. The caller, Jeff Small, told the clerks that he was working on a project aimed at improving election security and requested "third-party" access to secure voting equipment.
According to officials, at least 10 Republican clerks were contacted by Small, who has Colorado political connections. He claimed to be working with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, but his request for third-party access to voting machines was met with resistance from all of the clerks he contacted.
"I'm sitting here going, 'There's a person spending nine years in prison here in Colorado for doing the exact same thing,'" said Steve Schleiker, the clerk and recorder in El Paso County. "That's where unauthorized access to voting equipment leads – to counties having to spend a lot of money to replace their voting equipment and face potential criminal liability."
A Conservative Public Affairs Firm Behind Small's Outreach
Small is also affiliated with The 76 Group, a prominent conservative public affairs firm based in Denver. Earlier this year, he joined the firm after serving as the chief of staff for Colorado's U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
A Registered Federal Lobbyist and Former Trump Appointee
Small is also registered as a federal lobbyist whose clients include four Colorado counties. He was appointed by former President Donald Trump to work in the U.S. Department of the Interior before joining The 76 Group earlier this year.
No Federal Law Supports Small's Request, Experts Say
"I'm not aware of anything in federal law that would give them the ability to do this," said Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association. "It doesn't matter if it's the greatest cyber ninjas or some guy in a basement – or the federal government. If they don't have a legal reason to be near these systems, they're not getting near these systems."
State Officials Express Alarm Over Small's Outreach
COLORADO Secretary of State Jena Griswold expressed alarm over Small's request, stating that anyone seeking access to equipment must get clearance through a background check and agree to several security protocols.
"It could lead to a felony conviction and imprisonment," said Griswold. "That's where unauthorized access to voting equipment leads – counties having to spend a lot of money to replace their voting equipment and face potential criminal liability."
Small Denies Payment for Outreach, Claims it Was a Volunteer Effort
In a statement, Small claimed that he was approached by "officials working on the President's executive order to improve election security" and asked him to connect them with local county clerks. He said he was happy to do so because of Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold's "security debacles."
A Call to Action
The incident highlights concerns over the integrity of elections in the United States. Experts and officials are calling for greater transparency and accountability from those seeking access to voting equipment.