In an echo of the right-wing response to last month's gasoline shortages resulting from a Russian hack of a key pipeline, Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert is blaming Democratic President Joe Biden for a new Russian cyber attack against a meat supplier.
The freshman Congresswoman leveled her criticism of the President in a tweet.
Cyber attack on the largest meat distributor?\n\nIs this yet another cyber attack with Biden \u201cin charge\u201d?\n\nMaybe Dominion should branch out to make sure these companies are super secure.— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1622574132
Boebert's tweet was presumably in reference to a cyber attack Tuesday on JBS SA, the world's largest meat processor, likely committed by a criminal Russian gang of hackers called REvil.
Much like last month's hack of the Colonial Pipeline, Tuesday's attack forced JBS to briefly shutter all of its US operations, a move many experts say will result in higher meat prices for U.S. consumers.
For Republicans—like Boebert—looking for a win, this is all President Biden's fault.
In her tweet, the controversial GOP Representative queried:
"Cyber attack on the largest meat distributor?"
"Is this yet another cyber attack with Biden 'in charge'?"
Boebert then closed her tweet with a strange dig at Dominion Voting Systems, which Boebert and other Trump-aligned Republicans repeatedly accused of helping Biden win the 2020 election. Boebert did not offer an explanation for what a voting machine software company has to do with a meat processing corporation's cybersecurity.
Boebert also seemed unaware that, like the Colonial Pipeline, JBS is a private company—and one based in Brazil, no less.
Biden's administration and the federal government have little control over a private corporations' operations—especially when it comes to something like cybersecurity measures, which are typically contracted out to other private companies.
In short, blaming the Biden administration for this incident makes very little sense, especially since lack of federal control over private corporations is one of the hallmarks of the "small government," free market capitalist system Republicans like Boebert claim to cherish.
Flocks of tweeters immediately fired off missives at Boebert letting her know.
You want small government, but when anything goes wrong you want to blame the government. You want private businesses to operate privately but when anything goes wrong you want to blame the government. Private businesses need to spend on security, if they don't, here you are.— Allen Altcoin (@Allen Altcoin) 1622574710
omg you're right we should have trump in charge so he can change all the passwords to "maga2020"https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1399803486196453381\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Lord Anthony Walker (\ud83d\udd25 Hot Medic \ud83d\udd25) (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Lord Anthony Walker (\ud83d\udd25 Hot Medic \ud83d\udd25)) 1622689974
Does @laurenboebert believe that the federal government needs to have a bigger role in the directing the internet security practices of private companies?!?— Sam Stoddard \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Sam Stoddard \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1622574385
It's sad when I long for the days when Sarah Palin was the most ignorant person on the GOP side...\n\n#FreshVoicesRisehttps://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1399803486196453381\u00a0\u2026— Riff2112 (@Riff2112) 1622645012
Maybe the GOP shouldn't have been cozying up to Putin the last few years.— C-Bo the Eggman (@C-Bo the Eggman) 1622574300
pic.twitter.com/ka3yn454yJ— Lady Liberty #Vaccinated \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\uddfd (@Lady Liberty #Vaccinated \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\uddfd) 1622576260
Dominion is not a cyber security company! Only an uninformed fool would think that!\n\nBut as usual you are cheering on the attacks on our country and private businesses by foreign enemies. Which side did you swear an allegiance to?— Cruz Thomas is vaxxed and relaxed \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf0e \ud83d\udc36\ud83c\udf04 (@Cruz Thomas is vaxxed and relaxed \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf0e \ud83d\udc36\ud83c\udf04) 1622575119
Biden's in charge of cyber security for the meat industry? Dude's busy.https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1399803486196453381\u00a0\u2026— ((((MileHighCPA)))) (@((((MileHighCPA))))) 1622580261
Trumps Qidiots are so predictable. I tweeted this exactly ONE HOUR AGO: \u201cAn American meat packing company has been hacked. Countdown to @RepMTG, @laurenboebert & their #QAnonSquad blaming President Biden for the breach.\u201d https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1399803486196453381\u00a0\u2026— JAS16AZ (@JAS16AZ) 1622580884
Tuesday's cyber attack also affected JBS' operations in Canada and Australia.
Boebert has not yet commented on who is at fault for those attacks as of this writing.
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The Washington Post