Ryan to delay election security briefing, make it classified

Speaker Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanPaul Ryan ‘will await the findings’ of Jim Jordan investigation Overnight Health Care: Trump officials want more time to reunite families | Washington braces for Supreme Court pick | Nebraska could be next state to vote on Medicaid expansion Dems call on Ryan to provide free feminine hygiene products in House bathrooms MORE (R-Wis.) has postponed a briefing for members of Congress on the security of U.S. voting systems so that it can be classified. 

The move comes after Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiBeyond enthusiasm, the 'Resistance' of 2018 is not the Tea Party of 2010 Clash looms over ICE funding The Memo: At EPA, Pruitt is gone but policies stay MORE (D-Calif.), pressed GOP leadership to make the briefing classified so that officials could go into sufficient detail about the scope of the threat and the Trump administration’s efforts to protect digital election systems from hackers. 

Sources told The Hill that the briefing, originally scheduled for Thursday evening, has been pushed back as a result of logistical issues that prevented it from being classified. GOP leadership is now working to reschedule the briefing. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen NielsenKirstjen Michele NielsenBookstore owner calls police after customer confronted Steve Bannon Protesters confront McConnell leaving Kentucky restaurant The Hill's Morning Report — Sponsored by Better Medicare Alliance — Anticipation builds for Trump’s SCOTUS pick MORE, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats were originally scheduled to brief members on the Trump administration’s efforts to secure digital election infrastructure on Thursday at 5 p.m. 

Ryan announced the briefing late Monday, amid widespread concerns about foreign threats to the midterm elections triggered by a Russian interference campaign in the 2016 vote that included cyber targeting of state election systems. The Speaker's announcement came on the eve of primaries in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Idaho and Oregon.

The briefing was initially planned to be unclassified, but limited to members of Congress.

Rep. Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonOvernight Health Care: Judge blocks Kentucky Medicaid work requirements | Trump officials consider cuts to ObamaCare outreach | House probes HHS office in charge of migrant children Top House Dems request broad investigations into Trump immigration policy Hillicon Valley: 'Stingray' spying fears spark calls for action | AI debate flares at Google | Experts warn Russian malware more widespread | Lawmakers want Facebook to be more transparent MORE (D-Miss.), however, charged that the unclassified nature would prevent officials from going into enough detail about efforts to protect U.S. voting systems.

“House Republicans have treated election security as a third rung issue for over a year, it is time for them to finally take this national security issue seriously,” Thompson said. “The next federal election is less than six months away.”

Pelosi, meanwhile, wrote a letter to Ryan on Tuesday urging him to make it classified to “address the seriousness of the attack on our democracy.”

The briefing is expected to be rescheduled as early as next week. 

Mike Lillis contributed.