'Cybersecurity commission' to proffer advice to next president

[Commentay] Transitions between presidential administrations are typically influence-peddling, power-consolidating, appointee-vetting exercises run by Washington insiders. Perhaps that's why the quintessential Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is trying to insert itself into the process. The private organization, which has close ties to the U.S. military and counts Henry Kissinger on its payroll, has gathered about 35 people and awarded them the official-sounding title of "Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency." Adding to the formality are some closed-to-the-public meetings and ex-officio members from federal agencies, congressional offices, and the nebulous "intelligence community." The group's mandate is unusually broad: developing a "forward-looking framework for organizing and prioritizing government efforts to secure cyberspace." But four of its members indicated on Wednesday that the commission is focused on compiling no more than five recommendations and will not be proposing legislation or suggesting dramatic changes.