July 26, 2019

It was one of those things that seemed designed not to get our attention. Late yesterday afternoon, the Senate Intelligence committee released their report on Russian election interference. (You can read it here.)

Now, you probably can't stand listening to media types dance around the obvious any more than I do. They would rather believe Trump doesn't want 'a cloud over the credibility' of his installation in the White House than address what is very clear: Trump not only got help from the Russians, he's counting on them again in 2020.

They are also reluctant to connect some fairly large dots: Senate Majority Weasel Mitch McConnell, who's blocking any attempts to bolster election security, is in pretty deep with the Russians (and the voting machine vendors) himself. Remember, McConnell is the same guy who threatened the Obama administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly "an act of partisan politics.”

Sen. Ron Wyden wrote a dissent in which he points out that state and county election bureaus (who run their own elections) simply do not have the capability to fight off sophisticated foreign adversaries. Congress, however, does have the right to regulate federal elections.

If there was ever a moment when Congress needed to exercise its clear constitutional
authorities to regulate elections, this is it. America is facing a direct assault on the heart of our democracy by a determined adversary. We would not ask a local sheriff to go to war against the missiles, planes and tanks of the Russian Army.

It's a democracy IF WE CAN KEEP IT. Pick up the phone and call your congresspersons and senators.
202-224-3121

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