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| Democrats accuse Russia of 'relentless assault' on democracies around the world | Democrats accuse Russia of 'relentless assault' on democracies around the world |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Democratic US lawmakers have accused Russia of a "relentless assault" on democracies worldwide, and faulted President Donald Trump for failing to address it. | Democratic US lawmakers have accused Russia of a "relentless assault" on democracies worldwide, and faulted President Donald Trump for failing to address it. |
| A new report from the Senate Foreing Intelligence Committee contains more than 200 pages of information on Russia’s alleged interference operations over the last 20 years. It singles out Mr Trump for a lack of leadership on the issue, and calls for a stronger Congressional response. | A new report from the Senate Foreing Intelligence Committee contains more than 200 pages of information on Russia’s alleged interference operations over the last 20 years. It singles out Mr Trump for a lack of leadership on the issue, and calls for a stronger Congressional response. |
| The report was commissioned by the top Democrat on the committee, Senator Ben Cardin, and released a year after three US intelligence agencies jointly accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 US election to benefit Mr Trump. | The report was commissioned by the top Democrat on the committee, Senator Ben Cardin, and released a year after three US intelligence agencies jointly accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 US election to benefit Mr Trump. |
| “We knew after the 2016 elections that we were vulnerable, but the 2016 elections were just a small part of Russia’s overall design; Mr Putin’s design to try to compromise democratic institutions,” Mr Cardin said at the report's public release. | “We knew after the 2016 elections that we were vulnerable, but the 2016 elections were just a small part of Russia’s overall design; Mr Putin’s design to try to compromise democratic institutions,” Mr Cardin said at the report's public release. |
| Republican co-chair Bob Corker – a frequent Trump critic – did not sign on to the report. In a statement, Corker spokesman Micah Johnson said the Senator would review the report, but no further full committee activity was planned. | Republican co-chair Bob Corker – a frequent Trump critic – did not sign on to the report. In a statement, Corker spokesman Micah Johnson said the Senator would review the report, but no further full committee activity was planned. |
| The report – which cites open source documents and interviews with European diplomats and government officials – details Russian operations in 19 European nations, including Britain, France, and Germany. | The report – which cites open source documents and interviews with European diplomats and government officials – details Russian operations in 19 European nations, including Britain, France, and Germany. |
| Facebook officials told committee members that the same Russian trolls who stirred up controversy on American social media pages before the US election pursued a similar strategy in the lead-up to France’s 2017 election, and likely before Germany’s, as well. | Facebook officials told committee members that the same Russian trolls who stirred up controversy on American social media pages before the US election pursued a similar strategy in the lead-up to France’s 2017 election, and likely before Germany’s, as well. |
| Russian-leaning Twitter accounts also started tweeting “misinformation and fringe viewpoints” before Finland’s 2015 parliamentary elections, the report claims. Other tactics included spreading malicious information, threatening countries' energy security, and using hackers to steal information. | Russian-leaning Twitter accounts also started tweeting “misinformation and fringe viewpoints” before Finland’s 2015 parliamentary elections, the report claims. Other tactics included spreading malicious information, threatening countries' energy security, and using hackers to steal information. |
| The report praises many European nations for their response to the alleged attacks, but claims the US lacks “a coherent, comprehensive and coordinated approach” to handling the issue – largely because of Mr Trump’s failure to address it. | The report praises many European nations for their response to the alleged attacks, but claims the US lacks “a coherent, comprehensive and coordinated approach” to handling the issue – largely because of Mr Trump’s failure to address it. |
| “Never before has a US president so clearly ignored such a grave and growing threat to US national security,” the report says. | “Never before has a US president so clearly ignored such a grave and growing threat to US national security,” the report says. |
| The authors suggest Mr Trump create an interagency “fusion cell” to coordinate the country’s response to Russian activities, similar to the National Counterterrorism Centre that was created after 9/11. It also suggests deploying FBI investigators to embassies in vulnerable European countries, and increasing the amount of aid provided to promote democracy in Europe. | The authors suggest Mr Trump create an interagency “fusion cell” to coordinate the country’s response to Russian activities, similar to the National Counterterrorism Centre that was created after 9/11. It also suggests deploying FBI investigators to embassies in vulnerable European countries, and increasing the amount of aid provided to promote democracy in Europe. |
| Mr Trump has previously downplayed Russia's role in the 2016 elections, and suggested he belived Mr Putin's denials of interference. He has since clarified these comments, saying he believed "very much" in the US intelligence agencies. | Mr Trump has previously downplayed Russia's role in the 2016 elections, and suggested he belived Mr Putin's denials of interference. He has since clarified these comments, saying he believed "very much" in the US intelligence agencies. |
| Mr Trump has also vociferously denied any allegations of collusion with Russia. The President defended himself again on Wednesday in a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, calling allegations of collusion a "Democrat hoax". | |
| "I’ve been in office now for 11 months," he said. "For 11 months, they’ve had this phoney cloud over this administration – over our government – and it has hurt our government." | |
| Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, filed a lawsuit against BuzzFeed News that day for publishing a dossier that links the Trump campaign to Russia. | |
| This is the first report from any Congressional body on Russian interference in US election. The Senate Intelligence Committee plans on publishing its findings on Russia’s role in the 2016 election at a later date. | This is the first report from any Congressional body on Russian interference in US election. The Senate Intelligence Committee plans on publishing its findings on Russia’s role in the 2016 election at a later date. |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |