Changes

Smartmatic acquired Sequoia Voting Systems in 2005.<ref name="WPbizz">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/30/AR2006103001224.html|title=Voting Machine Firm Denies Chavez Ties|last1=Goldfarb|first1=Zachary A.|date=31 October 2006|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=|quote=Bizta, a start-up technology company in Venezuela with some of the same owners as Smartmatic}}</ref><ref>''Business Wire'', 9 March 2005, [http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050308006237&newsLang=en Sequoia Voting Systems and Smartmatic Combine to Form Global Leader in Electronic Voting Solutions]</ref><ref name="CRONsmart">{{cite news|url=http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2009/472673.html|title=Smartmatic es una empresa de "comercio riesgoso" y... defraudadora|last1=Cedillo Cano|first1=Alejandro|date=1 December 2009|work=La Crónica de Hoy|accessdate=|language=es-MX}}</ref> Following this acquisition, Rep. [[Carolyn Maloney]] requested an investigation to determine whether the [[Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States|Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)]] had followed correct processes to green-light sale of Sequoia to Smartmatic, which was described as having "possible ties to the Venezuelan government".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1095&Itemid=61|title=Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney|website=Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney|accessdate=2 January 2018}}</ref> The request was made after a March 2006 following issues in [[Chicago]] and Cook County, where a percentage of the machines involved were manufactured by Sequoia, and Sequoia provided technical assistance, some by a number of Venezuelan nationals flown in for the event.<ref name="abclocal">ABC Local, 7 April 2006, [http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=4065162 Alderman: Election Day troubles could be part of 'international conspiracy']</ref>  A [[WikiLeaks]] cable from July 10, 2006 discussed ownership:

Smartmatic acquired Sequoia Voting Systems in 2005.<ref name="WPbizz">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/30/AR2006103001224.html|title=Voting Machine Firm Denies Chavez Ties|last1=Goldfarb|first1=Zachary A.|date=31 October 2006|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=|quote=Bizta, a start-up technology company in Venezuela with some of the same owners as Smartmatic}}</ref><ref>''Business Wire'', 9 March 2005, [http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050308006237&newsLang=en Sequoia Voting Systems and Smartmatic Combine to Form Global Leader in Electronic Voting Solutions]</ref><ref name="CRONsmart">{{cite news|url=http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2009/472673.html|title=Smartmatic es una empresa de "comercio riesgoso" y... defraudadora|last1=Cedillo Cano|first1=Alejandro|date=1 December 2009|work=La Crónica de Hoy|accessdate=|language=es-MX}}</ref> Following this acquisition, Rep. [[Carolyn Maloney]] requested an investigation to determine whether the [[Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States|Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)]] had followed correct processes to green-light sale of Sequoia to Smartmatic, which was described as having "possible ties to the Venezuelan government".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1095&Itemid=61|title=Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney|website=Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney|accessdate=2 January 2018}}</ref> The request was made after a March 2006 following issues in [[Chicago]] and Cook County, where a percentage of the machines involved were manufactured by Sequoia, and Sequoia provided technical assistance, some by a number of Venezuelan nationals flown in for the event.<ref name="abclocal">ABC Local, 7 April 2006, [http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=4065162 Alderman: Election Day troubles could be part of 'international conspiracy']</ref>  A [[WikiLeaks]] cable from July 10, 2006 discussed ownership:

{{quotebox-float|“The Venezuelan-owned Smartmatic Corporation is a riddle both in ownership and operation, complicated by the fact that its machines have overseen several landslide (and contested) victories by President Hugo Chavez and his supporters.  The electronic voting company went from a small technology startup to a market player in just a few years, catapulted by its participation in the August 2004 recall referendum.  Smartmatic has claimed to be of U.S. origin, but its true owners — probably elite Venezuelans of several political strains — remain hidden behind a web of holding companies in the [[Netherlands]] and [[Barbados]].  The Smartmatic machines used in Venezuela are widely suspected of, though never proven conclusively to be, susceptible to fraud.  The company is thought to be backing out of Venezuelan electoral events, focusing now on other parts of world, including the United States via its subsidiary, Sequoia.”<ref>https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06CARACAS2063_a.html</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|“The Venezuelan-owned Smartmatic Corporation is a riddle both in ownership and operation, complicated by the fact that its machines have overseen several landslide (and contested) victories by President Hugo Chavez and his supporters.  The electronic voting company went from a small technology startup to a market player in just a few years, catapulted by its participation in the August 2004 recall referendum.  Smartmatic has claimed to be of U.S. origin, but its true owners — probably elite Venezuelans of several political strains — remain hidden behind a web of holding companies in the [[Netherlands]] and [[Barbados]].  The Smartmatic machines used in Venezuela are widely suspected of, though never proven conclusively to be, susceptible to fraud.  The company is thought to be backing out of Venezuelan electoral events, focusing now on other parts of world, including the United States via its subsidiary, Sequoia.”<ref>https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06CARACAS2063_a.html</ref>}}

Following the request, Smartmatic and Sequoia submitted a request to be reviewed by the CFIUS while also denying links to the Venezuelan government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsmax.com/pre-2008/voting-machine-firm-denies-hugo/2006/10/30/id/684637/|title=Voting-Machine Firm Denies Hugo Chavez Ties|date=2006-10-30|website=[[Newsmax]]|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> The company disclosed that it was owned by Antonio Mugica (78.8%),<ref>https://youtu.be/4103AcM6yoc</ref> Alfredo Anzola (3.87%), Roger Pinate (8.47%), Jorge Massa Dustou (5.97%) and employees (2.89%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtech.com/security/Voting-Machine-Company-Vows-No-Connection.html|title=Voting Machine Company Vows No Connection to Venezuelan President Chavez|website=www.govtech.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> Smartmatic subsequently sold Sequoia and later withdrew from Cook County in December 2006.<ref name="WSJpe">{{cite news|title=Politics & Economics: Smartmatic to Shed U.S. Unit, End Probe Into Venezuelan Links|last1=Davis|first1=Bob|date=22 December 2006|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|publisher=Dow Jones & Company|ref=Page A6}}</ref>

Following the request, Smartmatic and Sequoia submitted a request to be reviewed by the CFIUS while also denying links to the Venezuelan government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsmax.com/pre-2008/voting-machine-firm-denies-hugo/2006/10/30/id/684637/|title=Voting-Machine Firm Denies Hugo Chavez Ties|date=2006-10-30|website=[[Newsmax]]|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> The company disclosed that it was owned by Antonio Mugica (78.8%),<ref>https://youtu.be/4103AcM6yoc</ref> Alfredo Anzola (3.87%), Roger Pinate (8.47%), Jorge Massa Dustou (5.97%) and employees (2.89%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtech.com/security/Voting-Machine-Company-Vows-No-Connection.html|title=Voting Machine Company Vows No Connection to Venezuelan President Chavez|website=www.govtech.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> Smartmatic subsequently sold Sequoia and later withdrew from Cook County in December 2006.<ref name="WSJpe">{{cite news|title=Politics & Economics: Smartmatic to Shed U.S. Unit, End Probe Into Venezuelan Links|last1=Davis|first1=Bob|date=22 December 2006|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|publisher=Dow Jones & Company|ref=Page A6}}</ref>