Durbin: nothing ordinary about investigation into Russian connection

Grills Deputy AG nominee about how he’d handle unprecedented investigation into ties between the President’s inner circle and Russia

Under questioning, nominee admitted he has not read the U.S. Intelligence Community’s January 6^th assessment of Russian cyberattacks 

WASHINGTON – With newly-confirmed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions facing mounting scrutiny over previously undisclosed contact with Russian officials, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today grilled Deputy Attorney General nominee Rod Rosenstein regarding the Justice Department’s investigation into Russia’s cyber act of war against the 2016 U.S. presidential election. If confirmed, Rosenstein would oversee any Justice Department investigations into the Trump Administration’s Russian connections, after Attorney General Sessions partially recused himself from the matter. Durbin pressed Rosenstein to clarify the scope of Attorney General Sessions’ recusal commitment, and to read the unclassified version of the January 6 Intelligence Community Assessment into Russian election interference which Rosenstein, like Attorney General Sessions before him, inexplicably had not read prior to his hearing. 

“What we learned from this intelligence report two months ago is historic. It’s a cyberattack on the United States of America like none we’ve ever seen before…This was not put out by the Democratic National Committee. This was published by our intelligence agencies, and it’s the reason many of us believe this is not like an ordinary investigation by the Department of Justice. This is historic. It’s always critical when it comes to filling these appointments, but this is an historic, Constitutional moment in our history. So I’d like to ask you, Mr. Rosenstein, will you commit that, if you’re confirmed, you will not impede or shut down any FBI or Justice Department investigation into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election?”

Video of Durbin’s remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee is available here.

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