Democrats are capitalizing on federal investigators' conclusions Russia interfered with the presidential election as they push for a special congressional probe into the election year hacking, The Hill reports.
Officially, Democrats are calling for a select committee investigation, saying it is a nonpartisan effort to ensure national security. But it could also divert attention away from Donald Trump's incoming administration and raise questions about the election's integrity, according to The Hill.
If successful, the Democrats' effort could provide them some leverage as they try to recoup from the disastrous presidential campaign, the website notes. And it is likely to play well with the Democratic base, still reeling from Hillary Clinton's loss.
"They're bitter and angry and would like to take Trump down a peg," The Hill quotes Al Felzenberg, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, and the former spokesman for the 9/11 Commission.
A select committee probe would likely bring more attention and resources than a regular panel probe — slowing Trump's political agenda, The Hill points out.
"It certainly would sidetrack it, create a kind of diversion. Divert the energies of the Trump agenda as the Democrats see it," Ross K. Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University is quoted by The Hill.
"The bigger the spectacle, the more likely it is to distract Trump from the things he promised to do."
The Hill notes that so far the Democrats have been very cautious about their approach to an investigation while they work to enlist Republican support.
The Los Angeles Times reports that incoming Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York has called for a special bipartisan effort to look into the hacking.
Schumer said it's "clearer and clearer that the Russians hacked our cybersystem with the intent of influencing the election."
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