Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — A group of U.S. senators is calling for a bipartisan probe of allegations that Russia used cyberattacks to interfere with the presidential election.
The four lawmakers– Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.)– issued a joint statement on Sunday saying that the reports of Russia’s influence “should alarm every American.”
“Congress’s national security committees have worked diligently to address the complex challenge of cybersecurity, but recent events show that more must be done,” the statement said. “While protecting classified material, we have an obligation to inform the public about recent cyberattacks that have cut to the heart of our free society. Democrats and Republicans must work together, and across the jurisdictional lines of the Congress, to examine these recent incidents thoroughly and devise comprehensive solutions to deter and defend against further cyberattacks.”
The senators added: “This cannot become a partisan issue. The stakes are too high for our country.”
In separate reports Friday, the Washington Post and the New York Times said the CIA had presented evidence to a group of government officials that Russia used hacking to help Donald Trump win the election.
Trump has continued to deny the reports of Russia’s hacking and said on Fox News Sunday that the alleged CIA leak is “ridiculous.”
“I think it’s just another excuse,” he said. “I don’t believe it.”
On Oct. 7, the Department of Homeland Security and the office of the director of national intelligence on election security released a joint statement that said Russia was behind the election-related hacks.
“The U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations,” the statement said.
It was announced on Friday that President Obama had directed the intelligence community to conduct a “full review” of the hacking in the election. A senior White House official told ABC News the president expects to receive the report before he leaves office in January.
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