Russia intent on interfering with U.S. elections - FBI Director Wray

By Doina Chiacu

 

FBI Director Christopher Wray arrives to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 23, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Thayer

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia is determined to interfere in U.S. elections despite sanctions and other efforts to deter such actions before the next presidential election in 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Tuesday.

 

"The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections," Wray said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Wray appeared at an oversight hearing a day before Robert Mueller, the former special counsel, was due to testify publicly before Congress about his two-year investigation of Russian interference to sway the 2016 presidential race toward President Donald Trump.

"Everything we've done against Russia has not deterred them enough?" asked Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican committee chairman. "All the sanctions, all the talk, they're still at it?"

 

"Yes. My view is until they stop they haven't been deterred enough," Wray responded.

 

FBI chief Christopher Wray said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday that the Russians are 'absolutely intent' on trying to interfere with U.S. election despite efforts to stop them. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

Russia is determined to interfere in U.S. elections, despite sanctions and other efforts to deter Moscow, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Tuesday.

"The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections," through a foreign influence campaign, Wray said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Wray was testifying at an oversight hearing a day before Robert Mueller, the former special counsel, was due to testify publicly before Congress about his two-year investigation of Russian interference to sway the 2016 presidential race toward President Donald Trump.

"Everything we've done against Russia has not deterred them enough?" asked Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican committee chairman. "All the sanctions, all the talk, they're still at it?"

"Yes. My view is until they stop they haven't been deterred enough," Wray responded.

 

Mueller's investigation disclosed an elaborate campaign of hacking and propaganda during the 2016 presidential race and resulted in indictments that charged 25 Russian individuals and three Russian companies.

 

The United States has imposed election-related sanctions on Russian oligarchs and military intelligence officials and there is a push for legislation threatening tougher sanctions in the U.S. Congress.

 

As Wray confirmed the Russia threat remains, Senate Democrats criticised Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not taking up election security legislation. McConnell has said enough money was set aside for security last year and there was no need for extra measures.

 

"We have been warned in closed sessions about the Russian plans to corrupt this next election and they're very specific," Senator Richard Durbin said at a news conference. "What are we doing about it? The answer is: Nothing. The reason: Mitch McConnell."

 

The Russia investigation cast a shadow over Trump's White House tenure and the president has repeatedly downplayed the Kremlin's role in trying to help him win. At last year's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, he sided with Moscow over U.S. intelligence agencies.

 

In his most recent meeting with the Russian leader, in June, Trump appeared to make light of the issue, wagging his finger at the laughing Russian leader as he said, "Don't meddle in the election, please."

 

Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, criticized Trump for joking about the issue.

"Have you personally briefed the president about these threats," she asked Wray.

 

"We have had a number of meetings with others in the (White House) National Security Council," to discuss Russian efforts to interfere with the elections, he replied.

 

Wray includes efforts to interfere in U.S. elections in a broader category of foreign influence campaigns in which foreign governments attempt to affect U.S. political sentiment or discourse.

 

He told the Council of Foreign Relations in April that he viewed the 2018 congressional elections as a "dress rehearsal for the big show in 2020."

 

Wray told senators the FBI was working with private sector platforms about "different forms of foreign influence messaging, whether it's propaganda and fake news."

 

At the Democrats' news conference, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner urged the Republican-led chamber to help states protect voting and referred to a brief public statement Mueller made in May about the investigation.

 

"He started and ended his comments saying the Russians attacked us, and they will be back and America needs to be better protected," Warner said.

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Tom Brown and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-24

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Well fairs fair, the US like to attempt to interfere in some way with elections in other countries so "what goes round comes round"

Of course the USA never interferes with elections! what hypocritical drivel. They ALL do it and if the US don't succeed they normally send troops in.

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

"He started and ended his comments saying the Russians attacked us, and they will be back and America needs to be better protected," Warner said.

 

I agree, unfortunately the hyper partisan politicians will do nothing more than use this information to bludgeon its political rivals with. 

15 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

I agree, unfortunately the hyper partisan politicians will do nothing more than use this information to bludgeon its political rivals with. 

Donald denies it and won’t back safeguards wonder why.......

19 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Well fairs fair, the US like to attempt to interfere in some way with elections in other countries so "what goes round comes round"

 

15 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Of course the USA never interferes with elections! what hypocritical drivel. They ALL do it and if the US don't succeed they normally send troops in.

 

The "reasoning" of the views above seems to be that if the USA does something of the sort abroad, it ought to let others do so within its borders. Posters will note that this is the FBI comment, meaning dealing with things within the USA, rather than USA actions abroad.

 

8 minutes ago, Tug said:

Donald denies it and won’t back safeguards wonder why.......

 

If political rivals were using it as a way to undermine & discredit you and insult your base instead of working objectively to combat the issue, then yeah. 

4 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

If political rivals were using it as a way to undermine & discredit you and insult your base instead of working objectively to combat the issue, then yeah. 

 

Said base, and Trump himself are using the same pretext for political ends and attacks as well. What's your point, other than demonstrating that partisanship on this matter prevails?

6 minutes ago, Morch said:

Said base, and Trump himself are using the same pretext for political ends and attacks as well.

 

Oh boy thats rich. Ok, on what planet does it make sense to equate 2 YEARS fake & false "Trump Russia" narrative blasted willingly from every available news outlet by lefty politicians.... To what Trump has said and done on the matter.

 

The scale would spontaneously combust with the needle pinned to the left, if applied objectively. 

6 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Of course the USA never interferes with elections! what hypocritical drivel. They ALL do it and if the US don't succeed they normally send troops in.

Except of course is that one of the issues is tampering with the actual votes. And for some reason Mitch McConnell doesn't care. Maybe he's hoping the Russians will put their thumbs on the scale?

6 hours ago, Thainesss said:

 

If political rivals were using it as a way to undermine & discredit you and insult your base instead of working objectively to combat the issue, then yeah. 

And what is partisan about protecting the ballot box?

It certainly worked the last time, so why in heaven's name wouldn't they try it again next time....

 

U.S. government in disarray. A president who swerves all over the map, but holds a special place in his heart for Putin and Kim, while going to great lengths to alienate the U.S.'s traditional democratic nation allies. U.S. domestic division and discord on the rise.

 

What's not for Russia to like...

 

Ohhh, the post fact world we live in now.

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.

 

They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs

allowed.

 

Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 

where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

5 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.

 

They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs

allowed.

 

Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 

where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

Great idea. Let facebook have crucial info from your national ID. No way that's going to make things worse.

59 minutes ago, teacherofwoe said:

Ohhh, the post fact world we live in now.

Exactly! I recently read with a smile what a Supreme Court judge had to say about many of the 'facts' presented in the Mueller Report. 

2 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Except of course is that one of the issues is tampering with the actual votes. And for some reason Mitch McConnell doesn't care. Maybe he's hoping the Russians will put their thumbs on the scale?

Oh you have evidence of tampering with actual votes?  does that mean that's why HC got 3m more?  anyway roll on 2020 it's going to be fun!

2 hours ago, bristolboy said:

And what is partisan about protecting the ballot box?

 

Thats also extremely rich. The only party that cares about the sanctity of the vote is the Republicans. 

 

The left does everything in their power to undermine it. 

 

5 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

Thats also extremely rich. The only party that cares about the sanctity of the vote is the Republicans. 

 

The left does everything in their power to undermine it. 

 

And in other news from the Twilight Zone.....

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.
 
They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs
allowed.
 
Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 
where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

Ban FB, Facebook is evil.

1 hour ago, JHolmesJr said:

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.

 

They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs

allowed.

 

Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 

where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

Says someone commenting anonymously on a public forum.

1 hour ago, JHolmesJr said:

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.

 

They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs

allowed.

 

Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 

where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

The whole point of a VPN is to spoof (but typically to authenticate oneself) to a particular network.

 

How can FB know when this is occurring? Using magic? Perhaps using NSA tricks?

 

When I need to perform work, I need to connect to a VPN. Without such, I am just an outsider.

3 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Except of course is that one of the issues is tampering with the actual votes. And for some reason Mitch McConnell doesn't care. Maybe he's hoping the Russians will put their thumbs on the scale?

No evidence of vote tampering.  You are trying to plant a fake news story.  

1 hour ago, JHolmesJr said:

Facebook/Twitter certainly needs to bear responsibility for their role in aiding the Russian plans.

 

They need to get their faeces together....ban all accounts emanating from Russia, China and no VPNs

allowed.

 

Also, no bizarre usernames....sign up to these platforms should require national ID....its a public platform 

where people shouldn't be allowed to comment anonymously or spew fake news from behind a fake profile. That's it!

yes, because the Russians and Chinese are the ones spreading fake news setting up fake accounts...

 

8 minutes ago, harriott456 said:

yes, because the Russians and Chinese are the ones spreading fake news setting up fake accounts...

 

Folks in the US do it as well.

34 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

Folks in the US do it as well.

Do you have any evidence of that?

1 hour ago, Becker said:

And in other news from the Twilight Zone.....

 

Im sorry, is there some other party that wants to import huge swaths of people from south of the border while at the same time refusing to audit voter rolls and fights tooth and nail for no voter ID laws?

 

But but but Russians and facebook posts ????

1 hour ago, Thainesss said:

 

Thats also extremely rich. The only party that cares about the sanctity of the vote is the Republicans. 

 

 

 

So that's why they're content to sit around and slow-walk any efforts to prevent Russian election interference, and why we have a president who claims at times that he doesn't believe Russia actually did anything to interfere in the past presidential election? 

 

And who ignores and/or dismisses his own intelligence agencies when they tell him that Russia's gearing up to do it all over again in the upcoming presidential election... Because he and his cohorts "care about the sanctity of the vote"?????

 

   

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So that's why they're content to sit around and slow-walk any efforts to prevent Russian election interference, and why we have a president who claims at times that he doesn't believe Russia actually did anything to interfere in the past presidential election? 

 

And who ignores and/or dismisses his own intelligence agencies when they tell him that Russia's gearing up to do it all over again in the upcoming presidential election... Because he and his cohorts "care about the sanctity of the vote"?????

 

Yeah, thats not at all whats happening, and Ill refer you to this post:

 

4 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

Im sorry, is there some other party that wants to import huge swaths of people from south of the border while at the same time refusing to audit voter rolls and fights tooth and nail for no voter ID laws?

 

But but but Russians and facebook posts ????

 

10 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

Well fairs fair, the US like to attempt to interfere in some way with elections in other countries so "what goes round comes round"

Ain't that the truth.