Schiff: If Foreign Actor Hacked DNC, It Should Come With ‘Serious Consequences’ (Morning Consult)
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Thursday that he and the committee were briefed on the reported hacking into various Democratic campaign organizations, but they “cannot confirm the substance of the briefing or attribution.”
The California Democrat’s statement comes as the Federal Bureau of Investigation probes allegations that the Russian government was behind hacks into the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that the cyberattack compromised the private email accounts of more than 100 party officials and groups, and that FBI agents have started notifying Democratic officials that the Russians could have breached their accounts, citing unnamed officials with knowledge of the investigation.
Schiff said he and the Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein of California, have urged the White House to make attribution of the cyberattacks public as well as “consider any other steps necessary” once it collects sufficient evidence.
“If this indeed turns out to be a cyber-attack and leak conducted by a foreign actor to influence our elections, that would be a grave matter that should come with serious consequences,” Schiff said. “That foreign actors may be trying to influence our election – let alone a powerful adversary – should concern all Americans of any party.”
House Minority Leader and fellow California Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi called the suspected Russian hack an “electronic Watergate” at a Thursday press conference in at the Capitol, alongside other top House Democrats.
“This is an electronic Watergate. This is a break-in,” Pelosi said. “Now the Russians broke in, who did they give the information to? I don’t know. Who dumped it? I don’t know. But I do know this is a Watergate-like electronic break-in and anyone who would exploit for the purpose of embarrassment or something like that is an accomplice.”
By: Amir Nasr
Source: Morning Consult