Reed Statement on Release of Declassified Report on Russian Interference in 2016 Election

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed
Services Committee, issued the following statement after the release of a
declassified intelligence report highlighting Russian hacking and interference in
the 2016 U.S. presidential election:

«Our elections should be decided by American citizens, not foreign hackers, heads of
state, or their propagandists.

«This report shows that Russian operatives actively manipulated our presidential
election. They left cyber fingerprints and the U.S. intelligence community
unanimously concluded that Russia intervened with the intention of undermining
Hillary Clinton and helping Donald Trump. The report clearly states: «the Russian
Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by
discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him.»

«Regardless, as Senator McCain points out: this was an attack on all Americans
because it undermines our democracy.

«We know that Russia continues to engage in similar cyber campaigns and we need to
take corrective action to put a stop to it.

«This declassified report is a start, but it is not enough. The American public has
been given a glimpse of a few pieces of a much larger puzzle. They deserve as much
information as can be provided without putting our intelligence assets and
techniques at risk. And the most effective way to achieve that goal is through an
independent, select committee to investigate Russian interference with our election.

«There is hard evidence and broad consensus from U.S. intelligence officials on this
matter and there ought to be bipartisan consensus and action from Congress too.

«This is not about embarrassing the President-elect, it’s about protecting our
democracy. I realize this may be an uncomfortable situation for President-elect
Trump, but the American people and the strength of our democracy should come first.»