Reps. Amash and Jones Demand Obama Provide Congress with Full Intelligence on Alleged Russian Interference in U.S. Election

PRESS RELEASE

Reps. Amash and Jones Demand Obama Provide Congress with Full Intelligence on Alleged Russian Interference in U.S. Election

Dec. 21, 2016 (EIRNS)—Republican Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.) and Walter Jones (N.C.) demanded in a Dec. 19 letter to President Obama that he provide Congress with a full briefing on the intelligence behind the claim that Russia interfered with the U.S. election.

The letter points out that the "anonymous assertions" from "administration officials" do not detail specific evidence, and "even suggest that there are disagreements among intelligence officials."

The congressmen write that the Chairman of the House Permanent Investigations Subcommittee requested a briefing to resolve contradictions, but "the chairman’s request was quickly denied," followed by a statement that the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said that Congress "will not be briefed until a review you requested has been completed."

Yet, less than two days later, the letter says, with no Congressional briefing scheduled, "You [Obama] took to NPR to announce retaliatory action against Russia for impacting the integrity of our elections... It is reckless to allow evidence-free assertions to serve as Congress’s and the public’s only source of information."

The letter advises Obama,

"In light of the conflicting information coming from your administration, the lack of public evidence, and the retaliation against Russia that is apparently already under development, Congress cannot wait to be briefed on this matter.... [W]e request that a classified briefing on the evidence being used to support these claims be made available to all members of Congress immediately."

Obama’s clear threats to Russia have put the United States on the edge of military action against Russia, which could escalate to war.