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McCain Calls Russian Hacking a ‘Form of Warfare,’ and Trump Pushes Back McConnell Backs Investigation Into Russian Hacking. McCain Calls It ‘Warfare.’ Trump Denies.
(about 2 hours later)
■ President-elect Donald J. Trump takes to Twitter to deny Russian involvement in his election. ■ Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, backs an investigation into Russian efforts to influence the election, as President-elect Donald J. Trump takes to Twitter to deny Russian involvement.
■ John McCain says there is no doubt about Russian hacking, which he called “warfare.” ■ Senator John McCain says there is no doubt about Russian hacking, which he called “warfare.”
■ Mr. Trump formally names John F. Kelly, a retired Marine general, as secretary of homeland security.■ Mr. Trump formally names John F. Kelly, a retired Marine general, as secretary of homeland security.
■ Carly Fiorina for director of national intelligence? Rick Perry for energy secretary?■ Carly Fiorina for director of national intelligence? Rick Perry for energy secretary?
Mr. McConnell, a senator from Kentucky, backed an investigation on Monday into United States intelligence conclusions that Russia tried to get Mr. Trump elected through tampering and hacking.
Mr. McConnell faced bipartisan pressure, led by Senator McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida.
And Mr. McConnell talked tough.
“The Russians are not our friends,” he said.
Mr. McConnell said he wanted the Senate Intelligence Committee to lead the efforts. Senator Richard Burr, Republican of North Carolina and a vocal supporter of Mr. Trump’s, is that committee’s chairman. But Mr. McConnell welcomed the involvement of Mr. McCain, who is pressing for an investigation of his own.
With evidence mounting that Russian intelligence promoted his election, the president-elect continued his denial, via Twitter.With evidence mounting that Russian intelligence promoted his election, the president-elect continued his denial, via Twitter.
That second tweet is a head scratcher. The United States government formally accused Russia of trying to sow discord in the democratic process through its hacking in early October. It stopped short of saying the goal was to elect Mr. Trump.That second tweet is a head scratcher. The United States government formally accused Russia of trying to sow discord in the democratic process through its hacking in early October. It stopped short of saying the goal was to elect Mr. Trump.
And forensic analysis does allow experts to trace the source of a hack.And forensic analysis does allow experts to trace the source of a hack.
Oh, and fresh off his shot at Boeing over the cost of an Air Force One upgrade, Mr. Trump took a jab at another expensive military program, the F-35 stealth fighter.Oh, and fresh off his shot at Boeing over the cost of an Air Force One upgrade, Mr. Trump took a jab at another expensive military program, the F-35 stealth fighter.
On that one, he will have bipartisan support — just not in congressional districts where the fighter is built.On that one, he will have bipartisan support — just not in congressional districts where the fighter is built.
Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Monday that there was “no doubt about the hacking” by Russian intelligence services into Democratic campaign accounts, which he called “another form of warfare.” Mr. McCain said on Monday that there was “no doubt about the hacking” by Russian intelligence services into Democratic campaign accounts, which he called “another form of warfare.”
Appearing on “CBS This Morning” with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the next minority leader, Mr. McCain said the wide-ranging investigation of Russian meddling in the election would include his committee as well as the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees.Appearing on “CBS This Morning” with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the next minority leader, Mr. McCain said the wide-ranging investigation of Russian meddling in the election would include his committee as well as the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees.
He said a Senate investigation would be necessary despite President Obama having already ordered up an inquiry, as that one would not be completed before the end of the Obama administration. The implication was that the new Trump administration would not follow through.He said a Senate investigation would be necessary despite President Obama having already ordered up an inquiry, as that one would not be completed before the end of the Obama administration. The implication was that the new Trump administration would not follow through.
“We don’t want to point a finger, and I don’t want this to turn into the Benghazi investigation,” Mr. Schumer added, referring to the House investigation into the attacks on an American compound in Libya, which he said had been partisan. “This is serious stuff.”“We don’t want to point a finger, and I don’t want this to turn into the Benghazi investigation,” Mr. Schumer added, referring to the House investigation into the attacks on an American compound in Libya, which he said had been partisan. “This is serious stuff.”
President-elect Donald J. Trump has repeatedly said he does not believe the Russians were behind the hacking, much less tried to help him become president.President-elect Donald J. Trump has repeatedly said he does not believe the Russians were behind the hacking, much less tried to help him become president.
No surprise here, but Mr. Trump formally tapped the retired Marine Corps general John F. Kelly to be his secretary of homeland security on Monday morning. No surprise here, but Mr. Trump formally selected the retired Gen. John F. Kelly of the Marines to be his secretary of homeland security on Monday.
General Kelly would have the delicate job of seeing through Mr. Trump’s campaign promises of building a wall on the border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants — or not, depending on what President Trump and Congress actually want. General Kelly would have the delicate job of seeing through Mr. Trump’s campaign promises of building a wall on the border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants — or not, depending on what a President Trump and Congress actually want.
No doubt thankfully, he would not have the job of making Mexico pay for said wall.No doubt thankfully, he would not have the job of making Mexico pay for said wall.
Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has stayed silent about the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia tried to help Mr. Trump win the presidency, even as Republican senators like John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida are calling for full investigations, and as Democrats ratchet up pressure.
Mr. McConnell will hold a news conference at 10 a.m., ostensibly to tout the achievements of the now-dismissed 114th Congress, but he will surely be asked about the issue roiling Washington: Did a hostile foreign power subvert the American elections to help install a man who, incidentally, has picked Mr. McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, to be transportation secretary?
On Friday night, Mr. Trump’s transition team insulted the American intelligence community by saying that officers had misrepresented the threat of weapons of mass destruction ahead of the Iraq War, meaning that they should not be trusted with their conclusion of Russian meddling in the presidential election.On Friday night, Mr. Trump’s transition team insulted the American intelligence community by saying that officers had misrepresented the threat of weapons of mass destruction ahead of the Iraq War, meaning that they should not be trusted with their conclusion of Russian meddling in the presidential election.
In a new twist, Mr. Trump will meet on Monday with Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, to discuss the job of director of national intelligence, a senior transition official said.In a new twist, Mr. Trump will meet on Monday with Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, to discuss the job of director of national intelligence, a senior transition official said.
Mr. Trump and Ms. Fiorina do not have the warmest of relationships. They clashed bitterly when she ran against him for the Republican nomination. And Mr. Trump denigrated her appearance last year in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying, “Look at that face!”Mr. Trump and Ms. Fiorina do not have the warmest of relationships. They clashed bitterly when she ran against him for the Republican nomination. And Mr. Trump denigrated her appearance last year in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying, “Look at that face!”
Speaking of roles, the former Texas governor, Rick Perry, who wanted to eliminate the Department of Energy could not remember its name on live television, has emerged as a leading candidate for energy secretary. Speaking of roles, the former Texas governor, Rick Perry, who wanted to eliminate the Department of Energy but could not remember its name on live television, has emerged as a leading candidate for energy secretary.
Although Texas is rich in energy and Mr. Perry is big on extracting it, he cannot afford too many “oops moments” if he is named to that post. The Energy Department’s primary role is to design nuclear weapons and ensure the safety and reliability of the nation’s aging nuclear arsenal — through a constellation of scientific laboratories. The two men who served as President Obama’s energy secretaries were scientists, one with a Nobel Prize, the other from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Although Texas is rich in energy and Mr. Perry is big on extracting it, he cannot afford too many “oops moments” if he is named to that post. The Energy Department’s primary role is to design nuclear weapons and ensure the safety and reliability of the nation’s aging nuclear arsenal — through a constellation of scientific laboratories. The two men who served as President Obama’s energy secretaries were scientists, one with a Nobel Prize, the other from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.