Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sided with the Obama administration on Saturday and called on his colleagues to investigate reports of Russian interference in last month’s presidential election when the 115th Congress convenes in January.
Less than 24 hours after the White House announced that it had requested a “full review” of Russia’s cyber activity in the 2008 and 2016 elections from the intelligence community, Schumer suggested a separate congressional investigation should occur.
“Reports of the CIA’s conclusion that Russia actively sought to help elect Donald Trump are simultaneously stunning and not surprising, given Russia’s disdain for democracy and admiration for autocracy,” the New York Democrat said in a statement.
“That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core,” he continued. “Senate Democrats will join with our Republican colleagues next year to demand a congressional investigation and hearings to get to the bottom of this.”
According to a Washington Post report on Friday, CIA officials secretly concluded that the Russian government did interfere in the most recent presidential election in a manner intended to benefit President-elect Trump.
Schumer said it is “imperative” that any such findings intelligence officials have should be turned over to Congress so a “full investigation” can take place.
Ahead of Schumer’s statement Saturday, some Republican senators said they were planning to conduct hearings and investigations into Russia’s cyber activities.
“I’m going after Russia in every way you can go after Russia,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CNN last week. “I want [Russian President Vladimir] Putin personally to pay a price.”
