On cyber hacks of several Democratic campaign arms, Pelosi insisted Russian Federation was responsible, thought she wasn’t sure whether the hack exposed any of her personal work beyond the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
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The alleged hacking of the Democrats and the Russian connection did not become public until late last month when the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating a cyber attack at the DNC. “We want to learn more”. Instead, Russian hackers whom security experts believe are affiliated with the Russian government continued to have access to Democratic Party computers for months during a crucial phase in the US presidential campaign, the source said.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said at a newsmaker breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor last week that investigators have not yet determined who is responsible for the hack. “Who dumped it, I don’t know”, she said.
She also announced the creation of a cybersecurity advisory board to the DNC that will include former DHS official Rand Beers, former White House CTO Aneesh Chopra, former deputy US CTO Nicole Wong and attorney and former prosecutor Michael Sussman. Who did they give the information to?
The Democratic National Committee and U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign was also affected. Bernie Sanders during the primary led to the resignation of DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Scultz on the eve of the convention and departure of more party officials later.
The FBI on Thursday repeated its earlier statement from last month confirming that it is “investigating a cyber intrusion involving the DNC and working to determine the nature and scope of the matter”.
Retiring Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, who noted that he was returning from a trip to the Middle East, said Republicans need to bring mops to clean up the mess ― “the national security mess” ― that Donald Trump has created overseas.
The FBI says it has no direct evidence that Clinton’s private email server was hacked by the Russians or anyone else. Republican leadership staffers said this was the first they had heard of House Democrats asking to be called back into session, though Senate Democrats sent a letter last week to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) asking them to do just that.
“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.
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Pelosi said she is not concerned about what more may come out about the DCCC’s internal communications. Asked if she was personally targeted, Pelosi said she did not know. “It’s (the attack) just wrong”.
