Yesterday, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, reaffirming the findings in his report regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. You probably already heard the highlights, but they bear repeating, particularly those that President Trump and the right-wing entertainment media complex have attempted to denigrate:
Yes, the Russian government did in fact interfere in our 2016 election in "sweeping and systematic fashion," including through the dissemination of false information and fake images on social media that reached an approximate 126 million Americans and through strategically leaking hacked emails to alter coverage of the presidential race.
Yes, Russia did so to actively help elect Donald Trump and discredit Secretary Hillary Clinton. [I focused my five minutes with the Special Counsel on confirming these facts.]
Yes, the Trump campaign actively welcomed help from a hostile foreign power and failed to report any offers of foreign help to the FBI.
No, this is not normal. In the Special Counsel's own words, calling the behavior of the President and many of his close associates "problematic" is a severe understatement. The ethics and morals - or lack thereof - demonstrated by the President and his allies is deeply troubling and raises serious questions.
No, the report did not exonerate the President. In fact, Special Counsel Mueller stated that the President could potentially be charged with a crime after he leaves office.
No, this was not a witch hunt. The seven convictions, 37 people and entities charged with crimes, and the remaining 25 ongoing cases all rebut the President's galling lies.
All these are facts about what happened in the past. The President and his associates must be held accountable for what they've done, and I'll continue my work in Congress to demand that accountability.
But the most important testimony from yesterday regards the future: Special Counsel Mueller reminded us that Russians and other malicious countries are actively working right now to influence the 2020 elections. We must heed his warning, both as citizens by being more skeptical of sharing social media and memes about our political adversaries that may make us feel good but strain credulity and as a Congress by taking action to safeguard the cornerstone of our democracy, our upcoming elections.
Yesterday's report confirmed what many of us knew, but gave the American people who didn't another opportunity to learn the truth and prepare against malicious foreign interference. I encourage you to share his findings by forwarding this email to friends, regardless of ideology, to make sure they know this is not the end of the story.
