Hoyer Statement on Special Counsel Indictments of Russian Nationals for Election Interference
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
February 16, 2018
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement on Special Counsel Mueller’s indictments of Russian nationals for interference in the 2016 election:
“No longer can President Trump pretend that Vladimir Putin’s Russia was not responsible for cyberattacks targeting the 2016 election. With today’s indictment, we now know that Russian operatives posed as American individuals and entities to discourage certain voters from casting ballots, to spread false information, to exploit social and political divisions in our country, and to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions. This brazen attack on our country merits a clear and tough response - not the kind of deflection and defense of Putin and his associates that President Trump has so strangely provided. Such statements from the President have had a chilling effect on our government’s ability to respond effectively to Russia’s actions.
“This is yet another example of why the Mueller investigation must continue unimpeded. The American people need to learn the full truth about how far Russia was able to go in its malign effort. Doing so is not an effort to re-litigate the outcome of the 2016 election but to prevent future attacks. I hope Congress will now take strong and bipartisan steps to shield the Special Counsel from being fired, as the President has been reported to have sought and must not be permitted to achieve.”
“No longer can President Trump pretend that Vladimir Putin’s Russia was not responsible for cyberattacks targeting the 2016 election. With today’s indictment, we now know that Russian operatives posed as American individuals and entities to discourage certain voters from casting ballots, to spread false information, to exploit social and political divisions in our country, and to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions. This brazen attack on our country merits a clear and tough response - not the kind of deflection and defense of Putin and his associates that President Trump has so strangely provided. Such statements from the President have had a chilling effect on our government’s ability to respond effectively to Russia’s actions.
“This is yet another example of why the Mueller investigation must continue unimpeded. The American people need to learn the full truth about how far Russia was able to go in its malign effort. Doing so is not an effort to re-litigate the outcome of the 2016 election but to prevent future attacks. I hope Congress will now take strong and bipartisan steps to shield the Special Counsel from being fired, as the President has been reported to have sought and must not be permitted to achieve.”