March 28, 2024

Russian interference reports rock Capitol Hill | TheHill

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Reports this week that Russia is attempting to interfere in the 2020 race sent congressional Democrats reeling, with many lashing out at Republicans and blaming President TrumpDonald John TrumpComey responds to Trump with Mariah Carey gif: ‘Why are you so obsessed with me?’ Congress to get election security briefing next month amid Intel drama New York man accused of making death threats against Schumer, Schiff MORE.

The New York Times reported Thursday that intelligence officials recently briefed the House Intelligence Committee about Russia interfering in the presidential race in an effort to get Trump reelected.

A day later, Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersPoll: Bloomberg stalls after Vegas debate Prominent Texas Latina endorses Warren Bloomberg campaign: Vandalism at Tennessee office ‘echoes language from the Sanders campaign and its supporters’ MORE (I-Vt.) said he had been briefed on similar attempts to meddle in the elections, with The Washington Post reporting the Kremlin has sought to help his White House bid.

“All Members of Congress should condemn the President’s reported efforts to dismiss threats to the integrity of our democracy & to politicize our intel community,” Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiCongress to get election security briefing next month amid Intel drama New York man accused of making death threats against Schumer, Schiff Twitter, Facebook split on manipulated Bloomberg video MORE (D-Calif.) tweeted after the Times story.

Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerNew York man accused of making death threats against Schumer, Schiff Top GOP super PAC spent money on NC Democrat Hillicon Valley: Intel officials warned lawmakers Russia interfering in 2020 | Pompeo condemns Russian cyberattack on country of Georgia | Tech activists see Kickstarter union as breakthrough | Pentagon agency suffers data breach MORE (D-N.Y.) also weighed in, saying Republicans would “rather let [Russian President Vladimir] Putin win than stand up to President Trump.”

Criticisms from Democrats persisted even after reports of Russia attempting to help Sanders in the primary.

“If Donald Trump perceives that Sen. Sanders is his best general election opponent, and the Russians according to what Sanders just said are attempting to help Sanders, that means that the president and the Russians are aligned in who they want the president’s opponent to be upcoming in the fall,” Rep. Eric SwalwellEric Michael SwalwellCalifornia lawmakers mark Day of Remembrance for Japanese internment Chris Wallace: ‘Just insane’ Swalwell is talking impeaching Trump again McCarthy says Trump did not interfere in Roger Stone case MORE (D-Calif.), a member of the House Intelligence Community and former presidential candidate, told MSNBC on Friday night.

Trump pushed back on the Times report Friday, claiming it was part of a “misinformation campaign” against him led by Democrats.

“Another misinformation campaign is being launched by Democrats in Congress saying that Russia prefers me to any of the Do Nothing Democrat candidates who still have been unable to, after two weeks, count their votes in Iowa,” Trump tweeted, referring to delayed results from the Iowa caucuses. “Hoax number 7!”

But former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who worked in the Trump administration, said during a speech Friday that Russia was indeed “trying to interfere in 2020,” and that the Justice Department and the FBI are constantly “on guard” against those efforts.

Sanders, meanwhile, directed his response to Putin.

“I don’t care, frankly, who Putin wants to be president,” Sanders said in a statement Friday. “My message to Putin is clear: stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do.”

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly those who were not part of the House Intelligence Committee briefing last week, are expecting to get more information from intelligence officials about Moscow’s efforts during congressional briefings next month. Pelosi said House lawmakers will receive a briefing on election security March 10, the same day the Senate will be briefed.

A spokesperson for Pelosi did not immediately respond to The Hill’s inquiry about which intelligence officials would be involved in the briefing.

Congress received an all-lawmaker briefing on election security in July from top administration officials, including now-former Director of National Intelligence Dan CoatsDaniel (Dan) Ray CoatsCongress to get election security briefing next month amid Intel drama Trump’s nomination of an unqualified DNI undermines bipartisan intelligence reform Trump says he is considering four candidates for intelligence chief MORE, former acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Election security has been seen as a touchy subject in the White House ever since Trump took office, and Coats was not the first administration official to receive pushback for bringing up the issue. Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen NielsenKirstjen Michele NielsenActing DHS secretary says he expects Russia to attempt to interfere in 2020 elections House Homeland Security rip DHS’s ‘unacceptable’ failure to comply with subpoena Trump puts Kushner in charge of overseeing border wall construction: report MORE reportedly focused on it during her time in the Trump administration, but according to The New York Times was told not to discuss the matter around Trump.

Russian interference concerns have been repeatedly brought up since the 2016 elections. U.S. intelligence agencies, as well as the Senate Intelligence Committee and the report compiled by former special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerCNN’s Toobin warns McCabe is in ‘perilous condition’ with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill’s 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE, concluded that Russian agents engaged in a sweeping interference campaign designed to benefit Trump in 2016.

Those efforts included disinformation campaigns on social media and the targeting of state election systems. Agents also hacked into the Democratic National Committee and the emails of top aides on the campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonComey responds to Trump with Mariah Carey gif: ‘Why are you so obsessed with me?’ Trump dismisses reports of Russian meddling, labels them Democratic ‘misinformation campaign’ The new American center MORE.

Clinton on Friday alleged that Trump wants Russia to interfere in the 2020 race.

“Putin’s Puppet is at it again, taking Russian help for himself,” Clinton tweeted. “He knows he can’t win without it. And we can’t let it happen.”

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonIntel officials warned House lawmakers Russia is interfering to get Trump reelected: NYT Top Democrats demand answers on DHS plans to deploy elite agents to sanctuary cities Senior black Democrats urge party chairman to take responsibility for Iowa MORE (D-Miss.), whose panel has held multiple hearings on election security over the past year, said in a statement that Trump was “in denial” about Russian interference in 2016, and that the president’s “ego cannot accept that Russia interfered on his behalf.”

“The President is not only refusing to defend against foreign interference, he’s inviting it,” Thompson added.

Wray, in testimony this month before the House Judiciary Committee, said Russian influence campaigns “never stopped” after 2016. On the hacking front, a top Kentucky election official testified this week that election systems in the state are “routinely” targeted by foreign actors, including those from Russia, Venezuela and North Korea.

Efforts to pass election security bills have stalled in the Senate. Democrats have repeatedly tried to force votes on the measures, but have been blocked by Republicans.

Still, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTop GOP super PAC spent money on NC Democrat Everytown plans ad blitz on anniversary of House background check bill Kentucky state official says foreign adversaries ‘routinely’ scan election systems MORE (R-Ky.) backed a bipartisan effort in December to appropriate $425 million to states to bolster election security efforts. That legislation was later signed into law by Trump.

Sen. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenGraham: Trump has ‘all the legal authority in the world’ to pardon Stone Overnight Health Care: Senate panel to hold hearing on US coronavirus response | Dems demand Trump withdraw religious provider rule | Trump Medicaid proposal sparks bipartisan backlash Democrats demand Trump administration withdraw religious provider rule MORE (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told The Hill in a statement Friday that he thinks top Republicans are “totally unconcerned” about potential Russian interference.

“At some point inaction in the face of overwhelming evidence of a threat is more than negligence, it’s complicity,” Wyden said.

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Maggie Miller
The Hill

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