Ex-Clinton Staffers’ Firm Behind App That Caused Iowa Caucus Disaster
Officials reported on issues operating the app with submitting the voting data
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The company behind the phone app that caused delays in reporting the outcomes of the Iowa Democratic caucus is run by three former Hillary Clinton campaign staffers, according to reports.
The firm has also done business with Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s campaign during the 2020 election cycle.
The app, which was created by Shadow Inc., was intended to make it more straightforward for the state’s 1,700-odd precincts to report their individual caucuses results.
But that app did the opposite.
Officials reported on issues operating the app with submitting the voting data.
The Iowa Democratic Party kept the app creator's identity a secret as cybersecurity experts suspected the technology was vulnerable to hackers.
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On Monday, HuffPost reported that t Shadow Inc. was behind the app, citing multiple Democratic sources and campaign finance records.
Shadow Inc., is owned by a Democrat-linked technology and campaign consulting nonprofit group.
But the company has limited information about the firm and its employees.
According to a review of the social media accounts, three of the company's executives worked on the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign.
Gerard Niemira, the CEO of Shadow Inc., was the director of the product on Clinton’s campaign, according to her LinkedIn profile.
The product manager for Shadow Inc., Ahna Rao, was the special assistant to the chief technology officer on Clinton’s campaign, his LinkedIn profile states.
Iowa, you have shocked the nation.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) February 4, 2020
By all indications, we are going on to New Hampshire victorious. #IowaCaucuses
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The chief technology officer at Shadow, Krista Davis, was the software engineer on Clinton’s campaign, as per her Linkedin profile.
Several state Democratic parties and multiple presidential candidates have paid for tech services provided by Shadow Inc., according to campaign finance records.
The Iowa Democratic Party paid Shadow Inc. $44,666 on Nov. 15.
It then paid an additional $18,517 on Dec. 6, according to campaign finance reports
According to Federal Election Commission records, in August 2019 the Nevada State Democratic Party paid Shadow $58,000 for technology services
Shadow received $42,250 on July 23, 2019, for software rights from Buttigieg’s campaign.
Buttigieg came under criticism Monday for declaring himself victorious despite the deficiency of results.
“Iowa, you have shocked the nation,” he tweeted.
“By all indications, we are going on to New Hampshire victorious.”
