The Senate Intelligence Committee will conduct a bipartisan investigation into Russia’s pre-election hacking, including a probe into “any intelligence regarding links between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns.”
The decision comes a day after top intelligence officials briefed Senate lawmakers and left Democrats angry that they were not informed prior to the election about the Intelligence Community’s knowledge of Russian hacking. Democrats also want more information about unverified intelligence that the Trump campaign was in contact with Russian operatives.
The move also contrasts a statement by Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., who told reporters yesterday the panel would not investigate possible connections between the Russians and political campaigns because it was beyond its jurisdiction.
The information from the intelligence briefing, combined with the Homeland Security Department’s October warning about hacking, “raise profound concerns,” a statement from the committee said Friday.
The panel will hold hearings and will interview top officials about the issue and will issue subpoenas if needed, the committee statement said, and the panel will produce a classified and unclassified report on its findings.
Burr said the intelligence committee is tasked with the oversight of U.S. intelligence operations, “and to ensure that the appropriate departments and agencies provided informed and timely intelligence to our nation’s leaders.”
Burr added that “part of our inquiry will necessarily be focused on what happened, and what didn’t happen, in this case.”
Democrats have been at odds with the GOP over probing the Russian hacks, with more Democrats calling for an independent, bipartisan panel to look into the matter.
The panel’s ranking member, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he’s willing to go along with Burr’s investigation for now and said the intelligence panel, which has access to classified information, is in the best position to conduct the probe.
“If it turns out [the committee] cannot properly conduct this investigation, I will support legislation to empower whoever can do it right,” Warner said.
