Trump, Schiff spar on election interference
Says he was not told Russia helped Sanders
WASHINGTON — President Trump said Sunday that he has never been briefed about Russian efforts to help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic presidential nomination and he accused the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee of leaking election security information from a classified briefing.
Sanders acknowledged on Friday that he was briefed last month by U.S. officials about Russian efforts to boost his chances to be the nominee against Trump in November.
“I read where Russia is helping Bernie Sanders,” Trump told reporters before leaving on a trip to India. “Nobody said it to me. Nobody said it to me at all. Nobody briefed me about that at all. … They leaked it.”
He accused Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the committee chairman who played a lead role in Trump’s impeachment, of leaking information from a classified briefing.
“Schiff and his group, they leaked it to the papers and as usual,” Trump said. “They ought to investigate Adam
Schiff for leaking that information. He should not be leaking information out of intelligence. They ought to investigate Adam Schiff.” Schiff said Trump’s accusation was false.
“Nice deflection, Mr. President. But your false claims fool no one,” Schiff tweeted. “You welcomed Russian help in 2016, tried to coerce Ukraine’s help in 2019, and won’t protect our elections in 2020.”
Schiff also claimed Trump “fired” Joseph Maguire this past week as acting national intelligence director for “briefing Congress” about election interference from Russia. “You’ve betrayed America. Again,” Schiff tweeted.
A nearly two-year investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller concluded there was a sophisticated, Kremlin-led operation to sow division in the U.S. and upend the 2016 election by using cyberattacks and social media as weapons. Intelligence officials have warned Russia is doing the same in 2020.
Trump, however, has remained skeptical about the Russian interference.
Asked why Trump recently called Russian interference in the election “another misinformation campaign” that is being “launched by Democrats in Congress,” Marc Short, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence, defended the president.
Short told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Trump wants to stop foreign election interference. He said Trump wants to have a briefing so “we can tell the American people how we’re making sure that our voting is safer.”