JUST IN: Group of Democratic senators files ethics complaint against Sens. Hawley and Cruz over the Jan. 6 insurrection, asking the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate any potential violations & punishments.
Group includes Sens. Whitehouse, Wyden, Smith, Blumenthal, Hirono, Kaine, Brown.
The senators write: “When Sens. Ted Cruz & Josh Hawley announced they would object to the counting of state-certified electors on January 6, 2021, they amplified claims of election fraud that had resulted in threats of violence against state & local officials around the country.”
More: “By proceeding with their objections to the electors after the violent attack, Senators Cruz and Hawley lent legitimacy to the mob’s cause and made future violence more likely.” (h/t @marianne_levine)
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🤔Ratcliffe just declassified to Graham a claim that Russian intel alleged that Clinton “approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal against [Trump] by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the DNC.”
...but says “the IC does not know the accuracy of this allegation.”
It’s reasonable to ask why Graham and Ratcliffe would even put this out there if, as Ratcliffe acknowledges, “the IC does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication.”
Senate Republicans have released their “interim report” on their Hunter Biden investigation. We’ve read it—it’s largely a compilation of previously public assessments & news articles, some rehashed from the impeachment inquiry. Lots of media-bashing too.
Democrats have been calling on the Trump administration to resume election security briefings, and now that they’ve invoked the two-hour rule today, the first briefing in weeks is canceled.
However, Rubio told me earlier today that this election security briefing is TOMORROW, not today. Source says Rubio could have changed it from a hearing to a meeting. No functional difference because all of the Intel hearings are closed anyway.
And here is Rubio’s statement. Evanina was supposed to brief the committee today about *all* intel matters, so election security could have of course come up. Tomorrow’s briefing on election security is with DNI Ratcliffe.
SCHUMER: “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham on Ginsburg’s passing. No mention of potential confirmation fight before the end of the year.
In convo w/ a right-wing blogger, Sen. Johnson hints his forthcoming report will cast doubt on the IC conclusion that Russia prefers Trump, accusing the FBI of “playing hide the ball and delay.”
I’ve not heard a single senator doubt the IC’s conclusion about Russia’s intentions.
This is baffling. We knew Sen. Johnson was investigating the Biden/Burisma issue in addition to the Obama WH’s actions during the presidential transition period, but he seems to be introducing a brand new unsubstantiated claim — that Russia isn’t actually trying to boost Trump.
After Rubio became Senate Intel chair, I asked him about Johnson’s investigations.
“If we hear or see something, I’ll encourage them to go read up on the intelligence they have access to. Ultimately, we can’t control what people decide to believe or say.” politico.com/news/2020/05/2…
.@politico exposed some of Derkach’s election meddling efforts in July. @NatashaBertrand@kyledcheney and I revealed that he sent packets of Biden dirt to top Trump allies on Capitol Hill.
This is a seismic development. The president and his top officials have said China is the bigger threat to the election, but that’s not what lawmakers have been told; and now, Treasury has sanctioned a key Russian involved in that influence campaign.
Schiff says Derkach was “peddling this false information to Congress,” as we reported in July.