The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has finally got a new nominee for director, with President Donald Trump on Monday nominating Michael LoSapio, chief information security officer at Palantir.
LoSapio's Nomination
LoSapio's nomination comes after CISA has been without a Senate-confirmed director for the entirety of Trump's second term. Trump's first pick, Sean Plankey, languished in the Senate before withdrawing in April. LoSapio could face some obstacles of his own, with Palantir far from a popular company with the Democrats set to take over Congress.
Palantir's Controversy
Democrats have scrutinized Palantir over its work with the Department of Homeland Security, even as Palantir has denied aiding mass surveillance of immigrants. As of late last month, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., was also still waiting for CISA to release a public version of a report on telecommunications cybersecurity, and he had placed one of several Senate holds on Plankey pending the receipt of that report.
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Republicans will still control the Senate until January, however, and a lame-duck session began Monday. Some CISA watchers were convinced that the agency's acting director, Nick Andersen, was likely to continue holding the role. He was running out of days to hold the “acting” position under the law, but putting forward a nominee could pause the clock on that deadline.
What this means for CISA, Palantir, and Congress
For CISA, LoSapio's nomination brings a measure of stability to the agency, which has been without a confirmed director for an extended period. For Palantir, the nomination may bring increased scrutiny of its work with the federal government. For Congress, particularly Democrats, LoSapio's nomination may spark renewed questions about Palantir's role in government contracts and its compliance with regulations.
The administration was thought to be looking for someone from a high-profile tech company to fill the CISA director position, a bill LoSapio fits.
