WASHINGTON – House of Representatives Intelligence Speaker Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, warned on Tuesday that US intelligence suggests that various nations may be trying to interfere in the 2020 U.S. election, including the possible disinformation of “laundering” through Congress.
In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Schiff was asked if there is information that other actors besides Russia are trying to get involved in the current election cycle.
“There is,” Schiff said, adding that different nations use different techniques or tactics. Some nations could use open forms of influence, such as making public statements, or in the case of China, using trade negotiations with the United States, he said.
“Russians can get involved in hacking and downloading operations or social media campaigns. Iranians can have their own tactics and techniques, just like North Koreans can have theirs, “added Schiff.
The Intelligence Committee chairman’s remarks come after he and other top Democrats called FBI Director Christopher Wray in a letter Monday to provide a counterintelligence briefing to Congress ahead of the August recess on efforts to interfere with 2020 presidential elections.
“We are very concerned, in particular, that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign interference campaign, which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation to influence Congressional activity, public debate, and the presidential elections in November,” says the letter. said.
The letter was signed by Schiff, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and Mark Warner, a senior member of the Intelligence Committee of the Senate, Mark Vaner.
Schiff said in “Morning Joe” that “he can’t get into the underlying information” because it’s classified, but he said the potential interference is happening exactly four years after he and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Sent a letter. warning about Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
“We now have the same concern that, once again, a foreign power or foreign powers may be searching, and may be using some of the same modalities, and may be using new techniques, such as information laundering through Congress, with the intention to interfere and affect our choice, “he said.
Schiff said members of Congress must be informed and armed with information so that “they are not manipulated or used to spread Russian or other disinformation.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumed 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, said last week that he received reports on Russia again working to interfere in the current election.
“The Russians are still committed to trying to delegitimize our electoral process. Done, “he said.” China and others are also involved in activities designed to make us lose confidence in the outcome. “
