'Eliminate it': GOP senator reportedly wants to 'kneecap' key cyber agency

Long-held gripes held by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) about the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, borne out of his widely discredited claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could soon come to a head, according to a report.

The agency, which came into the crosshairs of conservatives after it disputed accounts that fraud skewed the results of President Joe Biden’s victory four years ago, will soon be overseen by Paul as he is set to take control of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee as its chair, POLITICO reported.

The publication added that the Kentucky senator’s plans include eliminating or severely limiting the powers of the cyber agency which he has accused of singling out conservatives and infringing on free speech, POLITICO noted.

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“I’d like to eliminate it,” POLITICO reported Paul as saying Thursday. “The First Amendment is pretty important, that’s why we listed it as the First Amendment, and I would have liked to, at the very least, eliminate their ability to censor content online.”

But, as the report noted, Paul’s “grand plans for finally crushing CISA’s mandate” may not come to fruition, as Congressional Democrats are expected to battle any plot to limit its powers. And gutting an agency that is vital in responding to foreign cyberattacks would also likely receive pushback from Republicans, POLITICO added.

Still, Paul told the publication that “everything is on the table” when asked how he might reorganize the cyber agency’s powers.

A ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), told POLITICO he's prepared to fight for the agency’s future, but added: "I guess we ought to stay tuned."