There was a lot anticipation for Thursday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global cyber threats to the United States, with the expectation that more would be revealed about the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian hacking. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Marcel Lettre, and National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael Rogers all testified before the panel, but did not make any new major revelations. This was largely because they had yet to brief President Barack Obama on a new classified report on Russia’s meddling in the election. Clapper and other senior intelligence officials briefed President Obama following the hearing. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to be briefed on the report Friday, and Congress will be briefed next week during a series of closed sessions. Meanwhile, an unclassified version of the report is also expected to be made available early next week. Today’s hearing did not provide any new proof of Russia’s involvement or its motives, but as the details of the new report begin to be circulated, the public may start learning more.
Here is a roundup of our live tweeting of the hearing, with some of the key moments:
This is @K8brannen live tweeting today's Senate Armed Services Hearing on #RussiaHacking for Just Security.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Here's the link to the joint statement from Clapper, Lettre and Rogers: https://t.co/1cOJpesFmy (Not much on Russia)
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Joint & opening statements talking broadly about cyber threats to US. Will have to wait for Senators' questions for info on Russian hacking.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
"They did not change any vote tallies or anything of that sort," Clapper says of the Russians.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
"There is no way for the intelligence community to gauge the impact" Russia's actions had on the voters' decisions — Clapper.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
.@SenJackReed notes that the entire intelligence community (CIA, NSA and FBI) agrees that Russia was behind the DNC hack.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Another key line from Clapper, Rogers, Lettre joint statement: pic.twitter.com/BYDrK47p0Y
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper in response to @SenJackReed: We have not been consulted by Trump transition team at all on proposed overhaul of intel community.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper on whether this was an attack vs. espionage: "People in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks."
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper: We will ascribe a motivation to the Russian hacking in the upcoming report.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper: "I intend to push the envelope as much as I can on the unclassified report." The public needs to know.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper: "There is a difference between healthy skepticism of intelligence and disparagement."
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper says he agrees w/ @SenBlumenthal that comparing #russianhacking assessment to faulty WMD in Iraq intel is a red herring.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper: There is actually more than one motive ascribed to the #russianhacking in upcoming report.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper says espionage implies something more passive vs. what Russia did here, which was more "activist."
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
.@LindseyGrahamSC says he thinks Obama's response to #russianhacking was a "pebble" and he wants to throw a "rock."
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017
Clapper in response to @timkaine's question on #fakenews, says intel report will cover full-range of Russia's actions.
— Just Security (@just_security) January 5, 2017