Two top U.S. senators, including one Republican, have slammed Donald Trump for “not paying attention” to the very real and serious threats posed by Russia in the upcoming 2018 election. In fact, it is Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma’s opinion that the vast majority of U.S. senators have already been the unwitting targets of the Kremlin, many without even realizing it.
According to CNN , both Senator Lankford and Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are both working intently to try and successfully achieve a committee vote in August on a bill known as the Secure Elections Act that is supported by both Democrats and Republicans which would help to greatly improve and protect the U.S. election system.
However, the senators have said that their plan has repeatedly run into problems and noted that as we swiftly approach the midterm elections this year, there is a very real threat coming from Russia and one which needs to be addressed by Donald Trump.
The trouble, according to Lankford, is that while the Department of Homeland Security is taking the Russian threat seriously, Trump doesn’t appear to be bothered or worried about it in the least.
“The intelligence community has been very active on this, the Department of Homeland Security has been active on this. While the President has been inconsistent in his tweets, and some of the messaging that he’s put on it, he’s the only one in the government that hasn’t been paying attention to this.”
Senators: President Trump is “not paying attention” to Russian election hacking threats in 2018 https://t.co/xACHbl5uUG pic.twitter.com/3AV2ZVlvgS
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 2, 2018
Klobuchar went one step further in her assertions, explaining in an emboldened fashion that it is partly down to Trump’s dismissal of Russian threats that the bill has not progressed as it should have by now.
“There were clearly delays based on things the President was saying that weren’t really directing their people to coordinate, they’ve admitted that under oath. But from the very beginning, Director (Dan) Coats made it clear that Russia has been emboldened and they’re getting bolder.”
Lankford has stated that U.S. senators routinely face Russian threats, calling it a “pretty regular thing around here.” It is his belief that each senator has almost certainly at some point been targeted by the Kremlin, whether they are aware or unaware of the threat.
“I would be shocked if there’s a senator that hasn’t been targeted, quite frankly. Because this a common issue for people trying to get in to get access to your information. And if they can get access into one office, they can get access into multiple offices. So they can look for any spot they were able to get into.”
With senators fearful that Donald Trump is simply ignoring the threat of Russia meddling in the 2018 elections, the Senate Rules Committee will be looking closely at the new bill that will hopefully keep the U.S. election system a little safer than it has been in the past.
