Changes

==Smartmatic==

==Smartmatic==

Smartmatic was officially incorporated on 11 April 11. 2000 in [[Delaware]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Division of Corporations - Filing - SMARTMATIC CORPORATION|url=https://icis.corp.delaware.gov/Ecorp/EntitySearch/NameSearch.aspx|website=State of Delaware - Division of Corporations|publisher=State of Delaware|accessdate=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Foreign Profit - SMARTMATIC CORPORATION|url=http://www.urru.org/papers/anexo1.2.jpg|publisher=State of Delaware|accessdate=}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/20/business/a-crucial-vote-for-venezuela-and-a-company.html?_r=1 "A Crucial Vote for Venezuela and a Company"] ''New York Times''. Retrieved 2017-01-19.</ref>  After receiving funds from private investors, the company then began to expand.  Smartmatic was the main technology supplier for fourteen Venezuelan national elections. Smartmatic’s incorporators and inventors have backgrounds evidencing their foreign connections, including Venezuela and [[Serbia]].  In March 2018, Smartmatic ceased operations in Venezuela.<ref name=":11">{{cite news|title=Smartmatic Announces Cease of Operations in Venezuela|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005537/en/Smartmatic-Announces-Cease-Operations-Venezuela|accessdate=|work=Business Wire|date=6 March 2018|language=en}}</ref>

Smartmatic was officially incorporated on 11 April 11. 2000 in [[Delaware]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Division of Corporations - Filing - SMARTMATIC CORPORATION|url=https://icis.corp.delaware.gov/Ecorp/EntitySearch/NameSearch.aspx|website=State of Delaware - Division of Corporations|publisher=State of Delaware|accessdate=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Foreign Profit - SMARTMATIC CORPORATION|url=http://www.urru.org/papers/anexo1.2.jpg|publisher=State of Delaware|accessdate=}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/20/business/a-crucial-vote-for-venezuela-and-a-company.html?_r=1 "A Crucial Vote for Venezuela and a Company"] ''New York Times''. Retrieved 2017-01-19.</ref>  After receiving funds from private investors, the company then began to expand.  Smartmatic was the main technology supplier for fourteen Venezuelan national elections. Smartmatic’s incorporators and inventors have backgrounds evidencing their foreign connections, including Venezuela and [[Serbia]].<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mied.350905/gov.uscourts.mied.350905.1.15.pdf</ref> In March 2018, Smartmatic ceased operations in Venezuela.<ref name=":11">{{cite news|title=Smartmatic Announces Cease of Operations in Venezuela|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180306005537/en/Smartmatic-Announces-Cease-Operations-Venezuela|accessdate=|work=Business Wire|date=6 March 2018|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Maloney.png|right|200px|thumb|Rep. Carolyn Maloney]]

[[File:Maloney.png|right|200px|thumb|Rep. Carolyn Maloney]]

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: