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| Intelligence heads testify in Senate on Russian activities in election (WATCH LIVE) | Intelligence heads testify in Senate on Russian activities in election (WATCH LIVE) |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Senate Intelligence Committee is holding a rare open hearing on accusations that Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election. They are asking questions about a recent report by the US intelligence community on such activities. | The Senate Intelligence Committee is holding a rare open hearing on accusations that Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election. They are asking questions about a recent report by the US intelligence community on such activities. |
| Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, NSA Director Admiral Michael Rogers and FBI Director James Comey will testify about a recently declassified report on the supposed Russian influence on the election. | Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, NSA Director Admiral Michael Rogers and FBI Director James Comey will testify about a recently declassified report on the supposed Russian influence on the election. |
| The report, made public Friday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), concluded with “high confidence in these judgments” that Russian President Vladimir Putin “ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election.” The goals of the campaign were “to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency.” The Russian government, under Putin, “developed a clear preference for President-elect [Donald] Trump.” | The report, made public Friday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), concluded with “high confidence in these judgments” that Russian President Vladimir Putin “ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election.” The goals of the campaign were “to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency.” The Russian government, under Putin, “developed a clear preference for President-elect [Donald] Trump.” |
| The “multifaceted” campaign blended propaganda, namely by RT, with covert intelligence operations, including cyber activity, with official efforts by the government, third-party intermediaries and “paid social media users or ‘trolls.’” | The “multifaceted” campaign blended propaganda, namely by RT, with covert intelligence operations, including cyber activity, with official efforts by the government, third-party intermediaries and “paid social media users or ‘trolls.’” |
| “We are not here to relitigate the results of the election,” Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), the ranking member on the committee, said in his opening remarks. Instead, the focus of the hearing was to be accusations of Russian hacking and release of stolen info, the use of state-owned media as a means to amplify real and fake news, and any contact between Russian actors and the campaigns. | “We are not here to relitigate the results of the election,” Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), the ranking member on the committee, said in his opening remarks. Instead, the focus of the hearing was to be accusations of Russian hacking and release of stolen info, the use of state-owned media as a means to amplify real and fake news, and any contact between Russian actors and the campaigns. |
| Clapper’s opening statement reiterated the findings of the ODNI report, noting that the investigation didn’t assess the impact of Russian influence on the elections, only the intentions. He added that there was no evidence of Russia altering the vote tally. | Clapper’s opening statement reiterated the findings of the ODNI report, noting that the investigation didn’t assess the impact of Russian influence on the elections, only the intentions. He added that there was no evidence of Russia altering the vote tally. |
| The FBI did not have access to the Democratic National Committee’s servers after they were hacked, Comey said, but rather a highly respected third-party company was able to investigate them. It was unusual for the bureau to be denied access, especially when it made multiple requests. | The FBI did not have access to the Democratic National Committee’s servers after they were hacked, Comey said, but rather a highly respected third-party company was able to investigate them. It was unusual for the bureau to be denied access, especially when it made multiple requests. |
| Warner asked Clapper if it was correct that “some” information was taken from Republican-linked entities, but a “great deal” was taken from Democrats; the DNI agreed. | Warner asked Clapper if it was correct that “some” information was taken from Republican-linked entities, but a “great deal” was taken from Democrats; the DNI agreed. |
| None of the four intelligence chiefs said they had seen “this level” of Russian interference in another country’s elections before. | |
| “This sounds like a pretty effective and successful effort to sow chaos, to undermine credibility of our leaders and of our government institutions,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), who ran for the Republican nomination. “In essence, it sounds like they achieved what they wanted, to get us to fight against each other over whether our elections are legitimate and divide us in the way that sows the sort of chaos that they sought to achieve.” | |
| Comey would not say whether there is an FBI investigation into any contact between relationships between Russians and individuals associated with the Trump campaign and his incoming administration, noting it was not appropriate to reveal the answer in an open setting. | |
| “The American people have a right to know this!” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) exclaimed, pounding on the dais, and demanding that the FBI release an unclassified report about such interactions before January 20. | |
| There were “intrusions and attempted intrusions into state-level voter-registration databases,” but there was no indication that any changes were made, only that information was taken, Comey said. | |
| Is it fair to compare RT to CNN, MSNBC or Fox News, Heinrich asked. | |
| “To me, the major difference here is the bulk of funding for RT comes from Russian government and the Russian government gives editorial direction on what RT is supposed to broadcast,” Clapper replied. “So I think that’s a little bit different from CNN.” | |
| “I think there’s an RT channel here,” Clapper told Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) that’s accessible to “some number” of people here. | |
| “I doubt if [the audience] is very large” in the US, Blunt replied. “I don’t want to defend RT. I think it’s a propaganda arm of a government that’s definitely not on our side, and we need to be aware of that.” |