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Google's pick to testify on election security rejected by Senate intel chair

Sen. Richard Burr turned down Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs.

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Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.
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Richard Burr

US Sen. Richard Burr turned down Kent Walker's offer to attend a September hearing on behalf of Google.

Al Drago / Getty Images

Sen. Richard Burr on Thursday rejected an offer from Google's senior vice president of global affairs, Kent Walker, to testify on election security next month, the senator's office confirmed to CNET. Burr, a Republican from North Carolina, is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Representatives from Google, Facebook and Twitter will appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Sept. 5 to testify on election security. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey are expected to appear on behalf of their respective companies, but Walker's offer to attend on behalf of Google was turned down. 

"I told them I wasn't accepting the senior vice president," Burr told The Washington Post.

A source familiar with the situation said Walker will still be in Washington at the time of the hearing and is willing to meet with committee members, staff and other lawmakers.

First published Aug 23, 2:54 p.m. PT.
Update, 4:32 p.m.: Adds that Walker will still be in Washington at the time of the hearing.