There is nothing to suggest that Russia is changing its preferences or tactics when it comes to the 2018 midterm elections, Sen. Chris Coons said Wednesday.
"On the Foreign Relations Committee, we heard absolutely nothing that suggests Russia is making an abrupt change in its preferences as it prepares to attack our elections again in 2018," the Delaware Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"What we've seen across western Europe, central Europe, eastern Europe is that Russia is a persistent and aggressive adversary of Democracy."
During the 2016 presidential election, Coons continued, Russia supported both the far right and far left to increase divisions in the United States, but eventually decided to support Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
"Our intelligence community unanimously assessed that in the case of the presidential election of 2016, they ultimately made a decision to support Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton and to interfere with, to attack our election to achieve that result," said Coons.
Coons also commented about a resolution, co-sponsored by himself and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, to back the nation's intelligence community. The measure was blocked by Sen. David Perdue, R-Georgia, through a parliamentary move, but Coons said there was nothing wrong with the resolution.
"It was dismissed last Thursday as mere symbolism," said Coons. "I'll remind you that sometimes symbolism, like our flag, is an important rallying point for Americans. I think it is important. I believe Sen. Flake thinks it's important that the Senate speak with one voice about backing our intelligence community and federal law enforcement."
The resolution also called for full enforcement of the sanctions that the Senate empowered Trump to impose against Russia last year, but that haven't yet been fully imposed, said Coons.
The resolution also called for hearings about the notes and records of Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, said Coons.
However, Coons said there are senators that are not willing to take action that would be "in any way disfavorable to the White House," and he finds that concerning.
"You've got senior administration officials who are openly saying the opposite of what President Trump said in Helsinki," said Coons. "U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley just said, I believe yesterday, we will never trust Vladimir Putin. If that's the case, then why is he being invited to the White House?"
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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