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| August 28, 2017 Dear Mr. Parks:
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about Trump Administration's relationship with Russia. I appreciate hearing from you and share your concerns.
On October 7, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security released a joint statement saying the our U.S. intelligence community (IC) was confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromise of emails from Americans and U.S. institutions, including political organizations. Then in January 2017, the IC released an assessment of Russia's cyberattack on the 2016 presidential election. We learned that President Vladimir Putin personally ordered a campaign to sow mistrust in our democracy and influence the outcome of the election in President-elect Trump's favor. Most troubling is that instead of criticizing President Putin after receiving the evidence that he interfered in our election, President Trump attacked the integrity of the men and women of our IC.
On February 13, 2017, General Michael Flynn resigned from the position of President Trump's national security advisor after misleading top White House officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States. Since he resigned, we learned that General Flynn did not disclose his communications with Russia in the correct Department of Justice paperwork prior to assuming his White House role. He worked as a foreign agent in 2016, representing the interests of the Turkish government as a lobbyist. He also was paid nearly $34,000 to speak at a 2015 gala in Moscow honoring the Russian state-run media outlet RT.
On May 9, 2017, President Trump fired James Comey from his position as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)–a surprise to many as he was only three years into his ten-year term. At the time of his firing, Mr. Comey was leading an investigation into the possible communications between the Russian government and the Trump campaign prior to the 2016 Presidential election. Mr. Comey has since indicated he was pressured by President Trump to back off of aspects of the FBI's Russia investigation.
On May 17, 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the appointment of former FBI Director Bob Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference into the election and related matters. Mr. Mueller has my full confidence and I look forward to his findings in this matter.
In June 2017, reports revealed that Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law and White House advisor, attended a June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the President's son, and a Russian government attorney who promised sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. There are increasing calls for Mr. Kushner to step down from his role with the Trump Administration, who continues to face growing pressure after denying its officials had contacts with Russians.
In addition to the FBI, the Senate and House of Representatives Intelligence committees are investigating this matter. Following a House Ethics Committee investigation into his possible unauthorized disclosure of classified information, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes has recused himself from the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation.
I have called for a bipartisan, independent commission to look into this attack with the end-goal of preventing future attacks on our election and our democracy. The American people deserve to know the extent of Russian influence into our election and if there was any possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. This is bigger than one election or one person. This is about our national security and the integrity of our democracy.
The failure of President Trump and Congress to address the security threat of the hack on our election is a stunning abdication of responsibility to protect the United States and our democratic values.
In light of these pressing concerns, I cosponsored the Countering Russian Hostilities Act of 2017 (S. 94), which includes comprehensive sanctions on Russia for their cyber intrusions and destabilizing activities here and around the world. I also am a cosponsor of S. 27, a bill to establish an independent commission to examine Russian attempts to interfere in our election. Lastly, I am a cosponsor of the Russian Sanctions Review Act (S. 341), which would require congressional oversight of any decision to provide sanctions relief to the Russian Government. Each of these bills was referred to the committee that has jurisdiction over the issues within them.
I will keep your thoughts in mind as these issues are considered in the Senate.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
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Sincerely, Richard J. Durbin United States Senator | |
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