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| Assange: Clapper lied to Congress, DCLeaks published GOP documents in 2016 | Assange: Clapper lied to Congress, DCLeaks published GOP documents in 2016 |
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| Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. | Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. |
| Some “two dozen or so” handpicked analysts from three agencies – the CIA, the FBI and the NSA – compiled the January 6 report that accused Russia of “influence campaign” during the US presidential election, Clapper said in prepared remarks before the committee, headed by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) on Monday. | |
| There were nearly 2,000 requests to unmask the identity of surveillance targets in 2016, Clapper noted, adding that he had never requested unmasking for personal, political or voyeuristic purposes, nor was he “aware of any instance of such abuse by anyone else.” | |
| "Russia’s influence activities in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election constituted the high-water mark of their long-running efforts since the 1960’s to disrupt and influence our elections," said Clapper. "They must be congratulating themselves for having exceeded their wildest expectations. They are now emboldened to continue such activities in the future, both here and around the world, and to do so even more intensely." | |
| "Can we agree that the Russians attempted to influence the outcome of the election? asked Senator John Neely Kennedy (R-Louisiana)"Yes," Both replied."Did they succeed?" asked Kennedy.“We could not make that call,” replied Clapper, adding there was no evidence of influencing voter tallies in any of the 50 states.Senator then asked "Have you ever leaked?"“Not wittingly or knowingly,” replied Clapper."Classified or unclassified?, said Kennedy.“Unclassified is not leaking," remarked Clapper as laughter erupted in the room. | |
| Clapper incorrectly claimed that no Republican data was released during the campaign, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange said on Twitter, offering documents published in August 2016 as proof. | Clapper incorrectly claimed that no Republican data was released during the campaign, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange said on Twitter, offering documents published in August 2016 as proof. |
| The highly anticipated hearing was expected to fill in key details in the chain of events that led to the ouster of Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, during the administration’s first month in office. | |
| Sally Yates reminded the committee of her 27-year career at the Department of Justice and praised their “impartial and thorough investigation” of the Russian threat. | |
| “The efforts by a foreign adversary to interfere with and undermine our democratic processes—and those of our allies—pose a serious threat to all Americans,” she said. | |
| Yates and another DOJ official went to the White House counsel on January 26 because they believed the “vice-president was unknowingly making false statements to the public” and that “Flynn was compromised with regards to the Russians.” | |
| I can’t address Flynn’s “underlying conduct” because that’s classified, said Yates. | |
| READ MORE: Trump to senators: Ask Yates under oath who leaked classified information | |
| "What was his conduct?" asked Senator Chris Coons (D, Delaware) | |
| “My knowledge of his underlying conduct is based on classified information, so I can’t revel to you what that underlying conduct is,” replied Yates. | |
| "Under what statute?" asked Coons. | |
| "If I identify the statute, that would reveal classified info," replied Yates. | |
| Yates said during the meetings, [WH counsel] McGahn “certainly demonstrated that he understood this was serious.” | |
| “If nothing was done, then certainly it would be concerning.” | |
| White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed media reports that former president Barack Obama had spoken against Flynn in a transition meeting with Trump. | White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed media reports that former president Barack Obama had spoken against Flynn in a transition meeting with Trump. |
| “This is a guy who was very outspoken in his criticism of President Obama’s policies,” Spicer said of Flynn during the White House press briefing on Monday, going on to question why the Obama administration allowed Flynn to travel to Russia and did not revoke his security clearance. | “This is a guy who was very outspoken in his criticism of President Obama’s policies,” Spicer said of Flynn during the White House press briefing on Monday, going on to question why the Obama administration allowed Flynn to travel to Russia and did not revoke his security clearance. |
| “If they were concerned, why didn’t they take any steps?” asked Spicer. | “If they were concerned, why didn’t they take any steps?” asked Spicer. |
| Yates was the acting attorney general at the time of Trump’s first travel ban, and was fired after refusing to enforce it. | |
| Louisiana Senator Kennedy asked about executive order. | |
| “I believed that any argument that we would have to make in its defense would not be grounded in the truth," replied Yates | |
| "You were looking at intent?" asked Kennedy. | |
| “Yes, I believe that was the appropriate analysis,” replied Yates and added also that the courts upheld it. “I certainly was not convinced that it was constitutional.” | |
| “Who appointed you to the US Supreme Court?” retorted Kennedy. | |
| Both Clapper and Yates denied leaking any stories about Trump and his associates to the press, whether directly or through someone else. | |
| On Monday, Trump urged the committee to question her under oath about classified information she was privy to ended up in the media, implying that the former Obama appointee may have been behind the leaks. |