How Mitch McConnell Prevented Stronger Action Against Russian Election Meddling

[Alekzander]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was apparently one of the Republican leaders who was most responsible for putting the brakes on a stronger White House pushback against Moscow's efforts at trying to affect the outcome of the U.S. election. At the end of a bombshell Washington Post piece about how the CIA has concluded that Russia was trying to help Donald Trump win the White House, there is word of a secret meeting in Capitol Hill with a group of key lawmakers in September. It was at this meeting that McConnell reportedly expressed serious reservations about the intelligence and threatened to politicize the agency’s findings if they were made public.

The Post explains that the White House was so convinced by the evidence that Russia was trying to affect the outcome of the election that by mid-September it decided that stronger action was needed. But White House officials were afraid that the effort would be seen as an attempt to affect the outcome of the election so the administration wanted both parties to come together and criticize Russian interference as well as urge local governments to accept federal assistance in protecting the voting process.

The Democratic lawmakers all agreed that the threat of Russian interference needed to be taken seriously but at least two Republicans, including McConnell, pushed back. The Post reports:

According to several officials, McConnell raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics.
Trump has selected McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, to be his secretary of transportation, a position that requires congressional approval.

McConnell has refused to comment on the reports about the CIA conclusions on Russia’s meddling in the election. McConnell’s office told BuzzFeed News that it “would not violate federal law by providing classified information.”


From: Slate Plus

[flamingdem]

1. This is where the Democrats counted on a Hillary win

to avoid the struggle with McConnell.

Big, bad mistake.

[hollowdweller]

2. Obama should have gone ahead and took on the GOP as being in bed with the Russians

[Alekzander]

3. You know, this is not a criticism of President Obama but just a thought of how I believe he is one

our most intelligent & great Presidents & soon to be the most intelligent & great of our past Presidents. However, I have always felt he has the belief that people are good including US Senators & of the belief that you can negotiate, trust them to work with you & thinks their priority is like his (for the people). Not so & as you say, he should have really pushed back on McConnell & moved forward with the information.

[KittyWampus]

4. Obama should have framed it as Russia must have something on McConnell

[Alekzander]

5. Right or could it be Trump had something on McConnell & promised to reward his wife with the

job she ended up getting.