DHS Appoints 2020 Election Denier to Oversee U.S. Election Security

A figure known for actively challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, Heather Honey, has been appointed to a prominent role within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Her new position places her in a key capacity to help oversee the nation’s critical election infrastructure, sparking immediate concern among election experts and state officials.

Heather Honey’s History of Election Denial

Honey gained public attention as a vocal proponent of claims that Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss was fraudulent. She is recognized as a protege of Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer who actively worked to assist Trump in overturning the 2020 election outcomes. In 2024, reports from ProPublica highlighted Honey’s significant involvement in Mitchell’s clandestine efforts to modify Georgia’s election regulations, which aimed to enable Republican officials to dispute a potential Trump defeat in that year’s presidential contest.

Beyond these activities, Honey has also been a prominent voice in disseminating election conspiracy theories. Notably, she promoted a theory that Trump himself referenced in a speech to his supporters shortly before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

DHS’s Crucial Role in Safeguarding Elections

While individual states bear the primary responsibility for conducting elections, the Department of Homeland Security provides essential support for tasks that exceed state capacities. This includes safeguarding vital IT infrastructure and voter databases against foreign intrusions. This critical federal role was established with bipartisan support following Russia’s documented interference in the 2016 election, aiming to bolster overall U.S. election security.

Erosion of Trust: Experts Raise Alarm

Honey’s appointment as DHS’s deputy assistant secretary of election integrity has drawn sharp criticism. Voting experts and state election officials warn that her controversial background could severely damage the trust between state and federal authorities, potentially discouraging states from sharing crucial information with the agency.

Adrian Fontes, Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, issued a strong statement, labeling her involvement as “deeply troubling.” He cited Honey’s “well-documented history of spreading election lies that have been debunked in court,” asserting that “when the agency gives a platform to individuals who have actively worked to erode public trust, it becomes harder to view DHS as a reliable partner in election security.”

Neither a DHS spokesperson nor Honey responded to inquiries regarding her appointment or specific duties. The White House also remained silent. However, Honey’s name is now listed on the department’s online leadership structure, an appointment first reported by Democracy Docket.

Undermining Election Protection Programs

During the first Trump administration, federal programs, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) — an arm of DHS — were established to shield U.S. elections from foreign interference. However, these initiatives faced setbacks after the CISA director publicly refuted Trump’s claims about a stolen 2020 election.

Since the beginning of the second Trump presidency, many of these protective programs have reportedly been dismantled. CISA has seen hundreds of employees cut, and its former director, Chris Krebs, is now under federal investigation in what he described to CNN as an act of political retribution. The Justice Department has also curtailed a program designed to combat foreign influence campaigns, with Attorney General Pam Bondi citing a need to “free resources to address more pressing priorities” and “end risks of further weaponization.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, highlighted that these cuts have “dismantled nearly all” of DHS’s capacity for election infrastructure protection. He, along with state election officials, fears that Honey’s appointment, combined with program reductions, signals an intent to weaken the bulwarks of fair U.S. elections. “The hiring of an election conspiracy theorist with no election knowledge or expertise is the culmination of this reversal,” Becker stated, cautioning that “DHS now appears poised to become a primary amplifier of false election conspiracies pushed by our enemies.”

Honey’s New Role and Administration Priorities

Sources familiar with the situation indicate Honey began her work at DHS last week. An organizational chart dated August 18 on the department’s website identifies her as a leader in the Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans. Former officials note the position is new and unprecedented. While the exact scope of her responsibilities remains unclear, deputy assistant secretaries typically serve as top experts, involved in drafting executive orders, crafting policies, and acting as liaisons to the White House and National Security Council. Critically, a role of this nature would likely grant her access to classified information related to election intelligence.

This appointment coincides with significant policy shifts announced by Trump, including a movement to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines via executive order – although a top aide later clarified legislative action would be pursued. NPR has also reported that DHS has threatened to withhold approximately $28 million in grants to states for terrorism and disaster preparedness unless they align their voting rules with the administration’s priorities.

Given her history, experts like Larry Norden, an election expert at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, express deep concern about Honey’s portfolio. “Heather Honey’s past misleading claims about vote counts in Pennsylvania, among other things, have helped fuel false conspiracy theories about stolen elections,” Norden said.

From Private Investigator to Election Activist

Before becoming involved in the “Stop the Steal” movement, Honey lacked federal government or election administration experience, having worked as a Pennsylvania-based private investigator. Following the 2020 election, she contracted for a Republican-backed audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, which ultimately reaffirmed Biden’s victory. Emails suggest Honey contributed to drafting that audit’s final report.

Since then, Honey has spearheaded at least three organizations focused on conservative-backed election system transformations, such as tightening voter roll eligibility. Members of her Pennsylvania Fair Elections chapter, part of Mitchell’s national Election Integrity Network, have challenged the eligibility of thousands of residents on voter rolls. She has also been instrumental in efforts to withdraw many Republican-led states from a bipartisan interstate partnership designed to enhance voting security.