interference in the 2016 election. The intelligence community concluded that the Russian government orchestrated a series of cyberattacks on campaign committees and organizations over the past two years and used stolen information to influence both the Presidential campaign and Congressional races over the past two years.“Unfortunately, there is still much that we do not know about the motives, methods and specific objectives of the Russian government, and the reaction of our own government. Without that understanding, our country will be left vulnerable to attacks in future elections.
“What we do know is that these intrusions were not just “hacks” – they were attacks on the United States by a foreign power, and they must be treated as such. As Chair of the Democratic National Committee—one of the main victims of the Russian attacks—I ask that you support and provide any needed assistance to an independent, bipartisan investigation of the attacks that includes public hearings.”
There have been news reports in recent days about Russia’s meticulous plans and Vladimir Putin’s personal involvement in directing how stolen material was leaked.
Among the questions Brazile is requesting that Congress investigate and answer are:
- What was the intent of the Russian government?
- When did related Russian activities in the United States begin and end?
- What other organizations or individuals were targeted?
- When and how were leaders in Congress briefed on Russia’s role in these attacks?
- When and how were campaigns, candidates and political organizations briefed on these attacks?
- How effective was our government in detecting and investigating these activities?
- What options are available to our government and political institutions to protect our elections from cyberattacks and foreign influence?
- What steps were taken to protect the country once the attacks were detected?
- What more could have been done by our government to protect the election from this cyberattack and hack?
- How can our government better assist political organizations, non-profits, corporations and other non-government entities in preventing these intrusions in the future?
Dear Speaker Ryan:
I write to request that Congress launch a thorough, independent, and bipartisan investigation on the Russian government’s unprecedented interference in the 2016 election.
By now Americans know beyond any reasonable doubt that the Russian government orchestrated a series of cyberattacks on campaign committees and organizations over the past two years and used stolen information to influence both the Presidential campaign and Congressional races. On October 7, the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security made public the consensus view of the seventeen elements of the U.S. Intelligence Community, expressing with confidence "that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations,” and "that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.” The Director of National Intelligence confirmed on December 16, 2016 that the agencies continue to stand by that assessment.
Indeed, after an exhaustive investigation, this week the New York Times reported on "a well-documented conclusion that Moscow carried out a meticulously planned series of attacks and information releases devised to interfere in the 2016 presidential race.” Furthermore, NBC reported that U.S. intelligence officials have a “high level of confidence” that Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally involved in these attacks, including providing direction on how the stolen material was leaked.
Unfortunately, there is still much that we do not know about the motives, methods and specific objectives of the Russian government, and the reaction of our own government. Without that understanding, our country will be left vulnerable to attacks in future elections.
What we do know is that these intrusions were not just “hacks” – they were attacks on the United States by a foreign power, and they must be treated as such. As Chair of the Democratic National Committee—one of the main victims of the Russian attacks—I ask that you support and provide any needed assistance to an independent, bipartisan investigation of the attacks that includes public hearings.
Among the questions we urge this investigation to explore and seek to answer are:
- What was the intent of the Russian government?
- When did related Russian activities in the United States begin and end?
- What other organizations or individuals were targeted?
- When and how were leaders in Congress briefed on Russia’s role in these attacks?
- When and how were campaigns, candidates and political organizations briefed on these attacks?
- How effective was our government in detecting and investigating these activities?
- What options are available to our government and political institutions to protect our elections from cyberattacks and foreign influence?
- What steps were taken to protect the country once the attacks were detected?
- What more could have been done by our government to protect the election from this cyberattack and hack?
- How can our government better assist political organizations, non-profits, corporations and other non-government entities in preventing these intrusions in the future?
Sincerely,
Donna Brazile
Interim Chair, Democratic National Committee
CC:
Honorable Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Leader
United States Senate
Honorable Charles Schumer
Senate Minority Leader
United States Senate
Honorable Nancy Pelosi
House Minority Leader
United States House of Representatives
Honorable Kevin McCarthy
House Majority Leader
United States House of Representatives
Honorable Steny Hoyer
House Minority Whip
United States House of Representatives
Honorable Steve Scalise
House Majority Whip
United States House of Representatives
Honorable Richard Burr
Chairman
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Vice Chairman
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Honorable Devin Nunes
Chairman
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Honorable Adam Schiff
Ranking Member
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Honorable Charles Grassley
Chairman
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Honorable Patrick Leahy
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Honorable Robert Goodlatte
Chairman
House Committee on the Judiciary
Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member
House Committee on the Judiciary
Honorable Ron Johnson
Chairman
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs
Honorable Thomas Carper
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs
Honorable Jason Chaffetz
Chairman
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Honorable Elijah Cummings
Ranking Member
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Honorable John McCain
Chairman
Senate Committee on Armed Services
Honorable Jack Reed
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Armed Services
Honorable Mac Thornberry
Chairman
House Committee on Armed Services
Honorable Adam Smith
Ranking Member
House Committee on Armed Services
Source: Democratic National Committee
