Investigations Take Shape on Capitol Hill

U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Jan. 24, 2017

SSCI Statement on Inquiry into Russian Intelligence Activities after Committee Meeting Today

WASHINGTON – Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a joint statement regarding the Committee’s inquiry into Russian intelligence activities after a closed meeting today:

"The Committee today agreed to move forward, under terms of reference proposed by Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner, with its inquiry into Russian efforts directed against the 2016 US elections and related efforts abroad.  The Committee hopes to expeditiously conduct its review and report its findings."

U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Jan. 25, 2017

Joint Statement on Progress of Bipartisan HPSCI Inquiry into Russian Active Measures

Today, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes and Ranking Member Adam Schiff released the following statement:

For many years, one of the House Intelligence Committee’s highest priorities has been to oversee the Intelligence Community’s activities to counter Russian aggression, including the cyber-attacks directed against the United States in the last year.

As part of this oversight responsibility, the Committee has been undertaking a bipartisan inquiry of these activities and the underlying intelligence used to draft the Intelligence Community Assessment, “Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections”. 

While the Committee has already begun to receive important documents, we trust that the incoming leadership of the Intelligence Community will fully and promptly support our requests for information related to the inquiry. It will not be adequate to review these documents, expected to be in the thousands of pages, at the agencies. They should be delivered to the House Intelligence Committee to provide members adequate time to examine their content. 

The scope of the Committee’s inquiry has included, and will continue to include:

  • Russian cyber activity and other “active measures” directed against the U.S. and its allies;
  • Counterintelligence concerns related to Russia and the 2016 U.S. election, including any intelligence regarding links between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns;
  • The United States Government response to these Russian active measures and any impact they may have on intelligence relationships and traditional alliances; and
  • Possible leaks of classified information related to the Intelligence Community’s assessments of these matters.


This issue is not about party, but about country. The Committee will continue to follow the facts wherever they may lead.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Feb. 2, 2017

Joint Statement From Senators Graham And Whitehouse On Investigation Into Russian Influence On Democratic Nations' Elections

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, announced they will investigate Russian efforts to influence democratic elections, both in the United States and abroad.

They made the following statement:

“We look forward to investigating Russia’s efforts to influence democratic elections, both here at home and abroad.

“Our goal is simple – to the fullest extent possible we want to shine a light on Russian activities to undermine democracy. While some of our efforts will have to be held behind closed doors due to security concerns, we also hope to have an open discussion before the American people about Russia’s strategies to undermine democracy.

“Our efforts will be guided by the belief that we have an obligation to follow the facts wherever they may lead.”

The subcommittee plans to fulfill the following goals:

• Gain a full understanding of the American intelligence community’s assessment that Russia did take an active interest and play a role in the recent American elections.
• Learn more about the methods Russia has used to target democratic nations and elections.
• Explore possible avenues to help prevent and deter future foreign influences from impacting American elections and institutions.
• Assure that Congress provides the FBI the tools it needs to keep its investigative work protected from political influence.

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U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
March 1, 2017

Intelligence Committee Chairman, Ranking Member Establish Parameters for Russia Investigation

Chairman Nunes and Ranking Member Schiff have approved the Scope of Investigation for the inquiry by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence into the Russian active measures campaign targeting the 2016 U.S. election. While the detailed, six-page scoping document remains classified, the investigation will seek to answer the following questions:

  • What Russian cyber activity and other active measures were directed against the United States and its allies?
  • Did the Russian active measures include links between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns or any other U.S. Persons?

  • What was the U.S. Government’s response to these Russian active measures and what do we need to do to protect ourselves and our allies in the future?
  • What possible leaks of classified information took place related to the Intelligence Community Assessment of these matters?

To answer these questions, the Committee will seek access to and custody of all relevant information, including law enforcement and counterintelligence information, consistent with the Committee’s oversight jurisdiction and investigative responsibilities. The Committee’s inquiry will not, however, impede any ongoing investigation. 

The Committee will also conduct interviews, take witness testimony, and review all reporting underlying the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) “Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections.” The inquiry will seek to ensure that the ICA comported with all relevant Intelligence Community analytic standards, and that allegations of Russian collusion with any U.S. Persons and the leaks of classified information are fully investigated. While the Committee has access to the reporting underlying the ICA, the Scope of Investigation reiterates the need to expand access to those documents and to ensure they are delivered to and stored at the Committee. It also sets forth the expectation that the Intelligence Community provide any other relevant intelligence to the Committee.  

Chairman Nunes said, “The Intelligence Committee has been investigating Russia for years and warning about the Putin regime’s hostile international actions, its aggression in cyber space, and its influential international propaganda campaigns. The committee is determined to continue and expand its inquiries into these areas, including Russian activities related to the 2016 U.S. elections. On a bipartisan basis, we will fully investigate all the evidence we collect and follow that evidence wherever it leads.”   

Ranking Member Schiff stated, “The House Intelligence Committee must conduct a bipartisan investigation into Russia’s interference in our election.  We must follow the facts wherever they may lead, leaving no stone unturned, and that must also include both the Russian hacking and dumping of documents as well as any potential collusion between Russia and U.S. citizens. This investigation is a national security necessity and anything less than a full accounting of all the facts will be insufficient to protect the country and meet the expectations of the American people.”