US election hacking claims: Spy chief 'resolute' in belief Russia carried out cyber attacks
Updated
The top US intelligence official has told Congress he was "even more resolute" in his belief that Russia staged cyber attacks on Democrats in the 2016 election campaign, rebuking persistent scepticism from Republican President-elect Donald Trump about whether Moscow was involved.
Key points:
- Director of National Intelligence says he has a very high level of confidence that Russia hacked Democratic Party institutions
- Both US political parties are wary of Moscow
- US intelligence officials said the cyber attacks were aimed at helping Mr Trump defeat Hillary Clinton
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he had a very high level of confidence that Russia hacked Democratic Party institutions and operatives, as well as disseminating propaganda and fake news aimed at the November 8 election.
"Our assessment now is even more resolute than it was" on October 7 when the Government first publicly accused Russia, Mr Clapper told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
An unclassified version of the intelligence review of Russian interference in the election would be made public early next week and would assign a motive for the attacks, Mr Clapper said.
Although Mr Trump called himself a "big fan" of intelligence agencies, he is heading for a conflict over the issue because he has cast doubt on their assessments that Russia targeted the election.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence has used the expression "healthy scepticism" to defend Mr Trump's criticism of intelligence agency findings.
But Mr Clapper said there was "a difference between healthy scepticism and disparagement".
Lawmakers from both parties are wary of Moscow and distrust Mr Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and efforts to heal the rift between the United States and Russia.
'Aggressive' campaign to interfere in US election process
Republican senator John McCain — a leading Russia critic in Congress — oversaw the hearing, which was the first in a promised series of hearings into allegations that Russia tried to disrupt or influence the US campaign, one of the most bitter in recent history.
Democrats and Republicans on Thursday (local time) called for more economic sanctions and other action against Russia.
Mr Trump will be briefed by intelligence agency chiefs on Friday on the hacks that targeted the Democratic Party in the run-up to the election, which the New York businessman won against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
"I don't think we've ever encountered a more aggressive or direct campaign to interfere in our election process than we've seen in this case," Mr Clapper said.
Mr Clapper, who leaves when Mr Trump becomes president on January 20, stopped short of declaring Russia's actions "an act of war", saying that determination was beyond the scope of his office.
He did not say what made him confident that Russia was behind the cyber attacks, but that conclusion was shared by US intelligence agencies such as the CIA and several private cyber security firms.
'I'm ready to throw a rock'
Armed Forces Committee member Tim Kaine, who was Mrs Clinton's vice presidential running mate, called for Congress to act.
"This is very serious," Senator Kaine said.
"It is my hope that this congress is willing to stand in a bipartisan way for the integrity of the electoral process."
Foreign policy hawk and former 2016 Republican presidential candidate Lindsey Graham said Mr Obama's recent actions against Moscow fell short.
"I think what Obama did was throw a pebble. I'm ready to throw a rock," Senator Graham said.
"Putin is up to no good and he better be stopped."
Mr Clapper, National Security Agency director Mike Rogers and undersecretary of Defence for Intelligence Marcel Lettre all testified at Thursday's hearing about cyber threats.
They described Moscow as a major threat to a wide range of US interests because of its "highly-advanced offensive cyber program" and sophisticated capabilities.
Moscow has denied the hacking allegations.
President Barack Obama last week ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian suspected spies and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies he said were involved in hacking US political groups such as the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Reuters
Topics: us-elections, hacking, forms-of-government, crime, united-states, russian-federation
First posted
