[x-pubpol] Could turnover in the White House change President Obama’s promise to veto Cyber Intelligence Security Protection Act?

[Joly MacFie]

(Via David Solomonoff)

White House cybersecurity advisor abruptly retires

http://www.dailydot.com/politics/howard-schmidt-retire-obama-cispa/

Could turnover in the White House change President Obama’s promise to veto
Cyber Intelligence Security Protection Act?

A man who seems to have been a major force in President Obama’s stance
against the CISPA has suddenly retired.

Howard A. Schmidt, White House’s cybersecurity coordinator,
announced<http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/228011-top-white-house-cybersecurity-official-retires>
his
decision Thursday.

President Obama’s advisors have a mostly strong track record when it comes
to echoing Internet activists’ concerns. When a White House petition
against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) reached
50,000 signatures, it was
Schmidt<https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#/!/response/combating-online-piracy-while-protecting-open-and-innovative-internet>,
on Obama’s behalf, who helped author astatement against those
bills<http://www.dailydot.com/politics/white-house-obama-administration-sopa/>
.

Obama also has released two major statements in favor of Internet rights:
one an outright promise to veto the controversial
CISPA<http://www.dailydot.com/politics/president-obama-advisors-cispa-veto/>,
and a so-called Internet Privacy Bill of
Rights<http://www.dailydot.com/politics/internet-privacy-bill-rights-senate-committee/>
that’s
currently before the senate.

Although neither of those documents have named signatories, it’s fair to
assume Schmidt had a hand in them—particularly the threat to veto CISPA. In
its conclusion, that statement said, “[Obama’s] senior advisers would
recommend he veto the bill.”

Schmidt appeared to have a particular vendetta against CISPA. The former
head of security for both Microsoft and eBay, Schmidt had long
championed<http://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/2009/December/122209_CyberSecurity.mp4>
a
need for the government to assist private corporations that faced cyber
attacks—precisely what CISPA is designed to address.

Nevertheless, Schmidt openly condemned CISPA on
<http://www.bloomberg.com/video/91697971/>TV,
citing the same reasons most Internetactivist
groups<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/04/eff-condemns-cispa-vows-take-fight-senate>
did—claims
that it didn’t do enough to guarantee the privacy rights of American
citizens.

The White House didn’t return an immediate request for comment about
whether Schmidt’s departure would affect its stance on CISPA or any of the
other cybersecurity bills pending in Congress.

Schmidt will be succeeded at the end of May by Michael Daniel from the Office
of Management and Budget <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb>, who
reportedly<http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/obama-cybersecurity-coordinator-resigns-a-4778>
has
years of cybersecurity experience.

Schmidt has released a broad statement about his new position: "The
challenges in this area are real and serious, but I have the benefit of
building on the progress Howard has made through his leadership.”

However, he’s yet to comment on specific legislation.
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