7 Senate Democrats Urge Obama To Declassify Information About Russia Meddling In US Election

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/11/30/7-senate-democrats-urge-obama-declassify-information-russia-meddling-election.html

7 Senate Democrats Urge Obama To Declassify Information About Russia Meddling In US Election
By Jason Easley on Wed, Nov 30th, 2016 at 4:43 pm


Seven Senate Democrats, who all sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee, have sent a request to President Obama asking him to declassify all materials related to Russia interfering in the US presidential election.



Along with the recount, the American people deserve the details about Russia’s meddling in the presidential election. Once Trump takes office, those details will never be released, so it is up to President Obama to make the information public so that the American people can decide for themselves if the election was tampered with, and what if any role potential interference from Russia played in the presidential election.

It is easy to understand the President’s desire for a smooth transition of power, but there are many unanswered questions that have cast a shadow over our the safety and security of our electoral system. As President, Obama owes it to the American people to ease their concerns. The best way to help people understand what happened, and prevent it from happening again, is to make the information available to the public.

The request from the Senate Democrats is also important because it hints that a Democratic investigation is coming into the role that Russia played in helping Trump win the election. Democrats don’t have to be in the majority to conduct their own investigations, and the desire for more info from Intelligence Committee Democrats suggests that questions about the Trump/Russia connection aren’t going away anytime soon.

President Obama has a responsibility to his country to release the classified intelligence. The degree of Russia’s interference in the election is something that every American deserves to know.

[pbmus]

1. Finally, wtf took so long??

[ffr]

26. Releasing the information may compromise sources.

Might put peoples lives on the line this early.

For me the question is, was there meddling. If so, did it effect our election to skew polling tabulation numbers. If there's proof of such, the election should be redone. However, I don't get the impression that this notice raises the bar to that level. If it does, this is an explosive revelation that the federal government must act swiftly to remedy.

[pbmus]

34. Thank you

[War Pigs]

47. comey chose not to release it. he

Would've if it was the RNC. What a snake

[Fast Walker 52]

2. seems kind of important, no?

Will Obama actually do this? He's so freaking cautious most of the time. Probably doesn't want to "upset" the transition.

[TonyPDX]

8. "We're not the Republican States of America, or the Democratic States of America,

we're the UNITED States of America."

(sound of retching)

[Fast Walker 52]

42. Indeed nauseating.

I wonder if Barack ever feels nauseous from stuff he says.

[florida08]

32. +100

[toddwv]

49. He won't.

Should he? Absolutely.

Will he? No. It would be like tossing a grenade in the Oval Office before leaving.

[Fast Walker 52]

53. that may be, but somebody needs to talk about it and make sure this isn't swept under the rug

not to mention, there are almost certainly STILL Trump-Russia ties.

[They_Live]

56. Good!

Last edited Fri Dec 2, 2016, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)

the grenade part, I mean.

(edited to clarify)

[doc03]

3. I figure there isn't much chance of that n/t

[DonaldsRump]

4. My first post

Am just stunned at what happened. Something is indeed rotten in the state of .... Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Anyways, look what I found from Breitbart: http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/08/03/wired-americas-electronic-voting-machines-are-easy-targets/

I am sure someone from here already found this, so apologies if I am reposting. However, I love the sheer hypocrisy of this given the current situation and the criticism levelled at Jill and Hillary (Jillary?).

Even more, I love the comments to this article, which I guess is the rightwingers' Algonquin Round Table in terms of intelligence, wit, and insight.

Peace, love, hope. There will be brighter days!

[Raster]

6. Welcome to DU!

[Aristus]

7. Welcome to DU!

I joined in September, 2001, during a very dark time in US history. This has been a safe haven to me in bad times and in good times.

I hope it will be for you, too.

[Generator]

13. This person is linking to Breitbart

Are you insane? They are the enemy.

[Aristus]

14. I read the substance of the post.

If this new DU-er is a right-wing troll, he/she will be booted off soon, and all I wasted was a welcome post.

[DonaldsRump]

29. Look at the article carefully

Are you kidding me about being a troll? Do you not see the irony about Breitbart talking about hacked voting machines? The people (and the same publication) that are in November 2016 calling the recount a scam and fake and being done by sore losers etc are the same folks who in August 2016 screamed about the precise thing we are worried about today.

An article like this is exactly why there are recounts going on. For those who are criticizing the recounts, I would send them this link and point out that "they" are the ones that started this a long time ago, not "us."

To the folks who welcomed me as an "us", thank you!

[Fast Walker 52]

41. well remember, Trump said the election was rigged for a long time

and this article supported his idea back then.

But of course, NOW, since Trump won, it couldn't have been rigged. Because GOPers are fucking massive hypocrites.

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. The Deplorables have short term memory, plus they don't care HOW

they won, ONLY that they won. And only they are allowed to shout about rigged elections, apparently.

[NBachers]

9. Welcome - I look forward to more posts from you. I am glad you are here with us.

[DonaldsRump]

31. Sheik Yerbouti is my man!

Thanks, NBachers. Love the album cover and the album!

I genuinely feel at home here. I followed DU religiously during 2004 and not so much until a month or two ago. I was frankly shocked on November 8 when I couldn't get through to DU. That's actually the first time I become worried, and obviously the rest of the night and thereafter was a disaster.

I kept trying to get back on to DU for some solace and sanity, and I vowed this time I would contribute. DU coming back and the recounts make me realize that it's all worth fighting for.

I am 1000% percent in favor of the recounts. I think there is far more going on between the lines (ballots?) than we can imagine. I am incredulous that exit polls, which, as far as I understand, work all over the world to evidence potential voting irregularities EXCEPT in the US and only in Florida in 2000, Ohio in 2004, and now Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania in 2016, are being dismissed so lightly.

There is indeed a common theme in all this, and it is high time after the heartbreak over the past 16 years that we find out why exit polls don't predict problems only when a US Republican is a winner, but is useful in every other election!

[SunSeeker]

30. Please dont link to Breitbart here. We shouldn't be giving them clicks.

And what's the point of including the pejorative "Jillary" in your post?

I get the point of why you cited the article, but you shouldn't make people click on the link to get your point. I notice you do later explain your point in response to other posters, but you should have done that right off the bat, rather than inviting clicks for Breitbart.

And welcome to DU.

[DonaldsRump]

33. Sure...

...but the article itself is the whole point of the hypocrisy. There are also tons of other links to Breitbart on DU, and the DU Terms of Service that I just agreed to said that you could only quote four paragraphs and must include the link. I'm new to DU, so I will take your advice in the future and include the four paragraphs. Fair enough.

No pejoratives at all intended. Indeed, it is the Repubs that are now linking Stein and Clinton. I frankly don't care if they are or aren't linked. It's just very important that this be pursued, whoever is doing the pursuit.

Like I said, peace, love, and hope. And thanks for the welcome.

[SunSeeker]

40. Um, you're the only one I've seen use the pejorative "Jillary."

Why even put that in your post? It adds nothing to the point you say you are trying to make regarding right wing hypocrisy at Breitbart.

[Coyotl]

38. You can still edit this post and get rid of that nasty link to the dark side.

Then you might get a better welcome here.

[War Pigs]

46. drumpf's people are very thin skinned like him

It is our duty to fuck with them until our dying days. Never let them forget and punch them in the face over and over. Just got My 1st batch of Trump Putin make Russia Great Again bumper sticks- red with the gold hammer and cicle and star to boot!!!

[Hortensis]

5. VERY interest, and good for them.

[question everything]

10. Yes, please! And Barbara Mikulski's last act before retiring

We will miss you, but I can see that you've had it.

[Barack_America]

11. Yes, please. And ASAP, definitely before Monday!

[Generator]

12. Once Trump take office these details will never be released

I knew this country was over. Fuck Putin. Fuck Russia. Fuck lies. Fuck the murders destroying Syria and the heartless fucks that won't take refugees. I hate this fucking country.

[jalan48]

15. And if the Russian's had meddled then what?

A new election after the first of the year? Who would have to declare that?

[babylonsister]

16. This is all unchartered territory

as we all know, but if they meddled and it's proven, how can we logically accept the results? I don't know the answer.

[jalan48]

17. There must be something there as these Democrats are on the Intelligence Committee.

Why Obama would sit on it I don't know, maybe he's worried about upsetting a "peaceful transition" of power.

[lake loon]

52. If so, that is totally wrong

He must protect US, the elections, the voters. Blast the "peaceful transition" if the whole mess is a complete fraud, as it appears to be.

[FiveGoodMen]

25. It would kind of alter the nation's attitude if we found out it was true, though

[Kablooie]

18. If the info is there and is never released it will happen all over again in the next election.

If people know what to look, particularly computer security experts, something might be done to prevent it in the future.

It will cause an uproar in the Republican side, but hell, that will happen no matter what and the Dems have nothing to lose anyway.

[spanone]

19. K&R...

angus is actually an independent....but he acts like a democrat

[DK504]

20. Say what?

Only seven Senators? Where are the others?

[The Hitman]

21. Is he waiting closer to 12/19?

Since we Americans apparently have the attention span of fruit flies (Remember how Hillary was a lock following the Access Hollywood video?!?!), it might be best to release this a week or so ahead of the time when the Electoral College meets. The ol December Surprise.

That being said, I do not understand how this isn't front page news on every media outlet there is.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. I noticed DiFi was missing as a signatory

[Botany]

23. It was a coup by both internal and external forces

Did Trump commit treason in his dealings with the Russians.

[milestogo]

24. But Obama wants to make sure there is a smooth transition from democracy to fascism

so he won't do anything to disrupt it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

44. Pretty sad, isn't it?

[lapucelle]

28. I wonder if the classified info that these senators have already seen

is driving their request. They've seen more than we have, and my assumption is that they've seen something extremely disturbing.

[Cracklin Charlie]

36. There's got to be more.

One of the candidates for president called the other candidate a puppet of a foreign government during a nationally televised debate. And she didn't just hint around about it, either.

The candidate who accused the other is well known for being an experienced public servant with many years of experience crafting policy, working publicly and privately for the rights of others, and protecting America's interests around the globe. This candidate routinely performed these duties with a calm, measured approach that would never be described as bombastic, hyperbolic, or hysterical. She meant what she said.

There has got to be much more to this story.

[Silver Gaia]

45. Excellent point.

[Coyotl]

39. Obviously, they have info we don't have and think we need to know too.

I suspect Trump is implicated.

[anamandujano]

35. Maybe it doesn't have to be declassified. Maybe it can be a summary report. The FBI has been

on this since early Oct (got a warrant) and possibly earlier.

It's kind of depressing that McCain is not on this list.

[pressbox69]

37. Let it all out but

even so the questions about this election will linger longer than questions about JFK and 911.

[FairWinds]

48. Do any of you get the rank hypocrisy . .

of Americans interfering with other countries' elections
on a regular basis - including Clinton herself in both
Haiti and Honduras . .

and then whining when some entity does it to them?

And I'm starting to wonder about those claims of Russian
interference - all we have so far is unsupported allegations.

See Patrick Henningsen

[Marr]

50. +1, yep. /nt

[Marr]

51. Enough with the excuses.

It's Comey's fault. It's Russia's fault. It's the millennials' fault.

This is doing nothing but preventing us from addressing the real problem. Our party just managed to lose a presidential election to a reality TV show host, for crying out loud. That is how little trust the nation's working people have for what is ostensibly the labor party in this country.

What do you think was a bigger factor in this election: Valdimir Putin, or the attitude among establishment Democrats that is allowing the North Dakota Pipeline travesty to continue, day after day? Honestly, now.

[KatyBR]

54. These aren't excuses - check out malware called the Stuxnet worm

source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/11/e-voting-machines-need-paper-audits-be-trustworthy

There is precedent for hackers attempting to influence elections by tampering with voting infrastructure: Ukraine's 2014 election came under attack from pro-Russian hackers, and this spring Bloomberg reported on how a team of hackers targeted elections throughout Latin America. There was also plenty of hacking related to the 2016 US election, with two separate major dumps of political emails and several reports of attempted attacks on election systems. These attacks tell us that hacking groups, some of whom may be nation states, were particularly interested in affecting this election's outcome.

Of course, there is good reason to believe US voting machines are vulnerable; for years, EFF along with hundreds of security experts nationwide and even worldwide sounded the alarm about the risk posed by insecure voting machines. EFF handled many cases arising from problems with the machines. In 2004, California decertified many voting machines due to serious security flaws.

Most e-voting machines are not connected to the Internet, but disconnection isn't a sufficient defense against hacking. Malware can be engineered to cross a so-called air gap by riding on removable storage media like thumb drives and SD cards. The Stuxnet worm is a remarkable example of this in action. It was designed to infect internet-connected workstations and then copy itself over whenever a thumb drive was plugged into those workstations. Once an infected thumb drive was plugged into an air-gapped system, the worm would install itself and begin its work. The voting machines used in America are updated using removable storage that is at some point plugged into a regular computer in a government office. Hackers need only compromise that computer, and they can use that toehold to copy a Stuxnet-like worm onto all removable storage that comes into contact with it and matches a certain profile. Once plugged into a voting machine, that worm could alter the machine's software to subtly change the vote. A particularly well-written worm would automatically reverse those changes after the election to cover its tracks.

Wired Magazine story on World's first Digital Warfare:https://www.wired.com/2014/11/countdown-to-zero-day-stuxnet/

[Achilleaze]

55. Make it so