Sen. Jeff Flake presses for action to back US intelligence agencies
Jul 18, 2018, 5:34 PM
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) introduced a resolution Wednesday to support the country’s intelligence agencies after President Donald Trump sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the election-meddling probe.
Flake and U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said the resolution will commend the Department of Justice for its investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, which led to the indictment of 12 Russian officials.
It also reaffirms the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference and asserts that Russia must be held accountable for its actions.
“This body must reaffirm that we stand with the men and women of the Department of Justice, who have brought these 12 indictments against individuals from the Russian Federation who interfered with our elections,” Flake said in a statement.
“I hope the president will take the word of our intelligence agencies rather than the empty words of a dictator.”
Trump made his comments Monday during a press conference with Putin in Helsinki, Finland. He said while he had “great confidence” in the intelligence reports, but Putin was “very powerful” in his denial of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Twelve Russian intelligence agents were indicted last week as part of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. They were accused of hacking Democratic National Committee servers and stealing e-mails.
Flake, one of many Republicans to criticize the president’s comments, told Good Morning America on Tuesday, “We ought to have the national security team of the White House come up and talk to us on Capitol Hill about what happened there.”
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”
Flake added he thought the United States should increase sanctions against Russia and “target those implicated with the indictments as well as other Russian individuals.”
Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) told CNN talk of the resolution picked up after Trump’s Helsinki press conference.
“Is that going to change anything?” he asked. “Probably not.”
Congressional resolutions don’t carry the force of law.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.