McCaskill: US adversaries benefit from Trump's 'trashing' US intelligence community
Updated 11:01 a.m.
Sen. Claire McCaskillClaire McCaskillDems to GOP leadership: Help us to fix ObamaCare Russian hacking in spotlight: Live coverage of hearing Cassidy joins Senate Finance Committee MORE (D-Mo.) said the "biggest benefactors" of President-elect Donald Trump
Donald TrumpPresident of historically black college defends band's decision to march in inaugural parade Dems don't have to block Trump's SCOTUS pick — exploit GOP's divisions instead Spicer sees 'deep strategy' to Trump's tweets MORE "trashing" the intelligence community are U.S. adversaries.
"[Who is] the benefactor of someone who is about to become commander in chief trashing the intelligence community?" she asked at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing with top intelligence leaders.
"I assume the biggest benefactors [are] Iran, North Korea, Russia and [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria]," she said.
Trump has cast doubt on the conclusion of the intelligence community that Russia interfered in the presidential elections on behalf of the president-elect by hacking the emails of Democratic National Committee and top Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonSpicer sees 'deep strategy' to Trump's tweets 6 reasons Trump scares many Republicans and conservatives Russian hacking in spotlight: Live coverage of hearing MORE aide John Podesta and leaking it to Wikileaks.
Trump has bolstered his claim by saying the intelligence community got intelligence in the lead-up to the Iraq War wrong.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told McCaskill there is a difference between "healthy skepticism" and disparagement.
"I think there is a difference between skepticism and disparagement," he said.
However, he added, "The intelligence community is not perfect. We are an organization of human beings," We are prone sometimes to make errors...I don't think the intelligence community gets the credit it's due for what it does day in and day out to keep this nation secure."
Obama hacking report will address Russia's motivations
Updated: 10:51 a.m.
The Obama administration's report detailing Russian interference in the U.S. election — due in unclassified form early next week — will address the question of Russia's intentions.
Clapper told lawmakers that the report "will ascribe a motivation."
"There's actually more than one motive," Clapper said. "That will be described in the report."
He declined to provide further detail on Thursday.
Officials up until now have described the attacks on the DNC and Podesta as an attempt to "influence" the U.S. election, but have stopped short of describing it as an explicit attempt to help elect Donald Trump.
The distinction has been one of the flash-points in the debate over Russian hacking. Trump has treated any suggestion of Russian interference as an attack on the legitimacy of his victory.
The classified version of the report was reportedly delivered to President Obama today. Clapper said Thursday that he intends to make as much of the report public as possible.
Clapper: "I intend to push the envelope as much as I can on the unclassified report. I think the public should know as much as possible."
— Katie Bo Williams (@KatieBoWill) January 5, 2017
Clapper: No talks with Trump about ODNI
Updated: 10:24 a.m.
Clapper told lawmakers that he has not been involved in any discussions with Donald Trump's transition team to overhaul his office.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night that Trump is weighing slimming down the Office of the Director of National Security (ODNI) and cutting CIA staff in Washington in favor of placing more personnel overseas.
ODNI was created after the Sept. 11 attacks to smooth information sharing between intelligence agencies, but has faced criticism that it has merely added a layer of bureaucracy.
Current CIA Director John Brennan last year restructured the CIA to combine analysts with spies into so-called "mission centers." The move faced some internal criticism for undermining the agency's human intelligence mission.
Hacking report prepared by three agencies
Updated 10:24 a.m.
The Intelligence Committee’s report on Russian hacking is primarily being prepared by three agencies: the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency, Clapper
The report, which was reportedly delivered to Obama today, is intended to provide a comprehensive view of Russian interference in U.S. elections going back multiple years.
Clapper: No way to judge impact on election
Updated 10:12 a.m.
The Intelligence Community has no way to determine the impact of Russian hacks on the outcome of the election, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told lawmakers.
“They didn’t change any vote tallies,” Clapper said, but “We have no way of gauging the impact that — certainly the Intelligence Community can’t — the choices that the electorate made. There’s no way for us to gauge.”
Assange has zero credibility with panelAssange made news this week by saying that the emails from the Democratic National Committee published by his organization did not come from Russia.McCain Re: Assange: “Do you think there is any credibility we should attach to this individual?” Clapper, Rogers say no.
— Joe Uchill (@JoeUchill) January 5, 2017
Clapper: We won't discuss Russian hacking reportJulian Assange said "a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta" - why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
“We plan to brief the Congress and release an unclassified version of this report to the public next week with due deference to highly sensitive sources and methods,” DNI James Clapper told lawmakers.
“We’re not really prepared to discuss this beyond standing by our earlier statements.”
The ODNI, along with the Department of Homeland Security, issued a public statement in October blaming Russia for the attacks on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other political organizations. Officials called the attacks an attempt to interfere in the U.S. election but provided little other information.
Updated: 9:48 a.m.
One big difference between Democrats and Republicans has been whether a select panel should be appointed to investigate Russia's actions in the U.S. election.
Sen. Jack ReedJack ReedRussian hacking in spotlight: Live coverage of hearing Russian hacking illustrates increasing role of cybersecurity in geopolitical warfare Dems attack Trump SEC pick's ties to Wall Street MORE (D-R.I.), the ranking member on Armed Services, called for the formation of a select panel in his opening statement.
.@SenJackReed calls for a special select Senate committee on Russian hacking because the issue 'spills across jurisdictional divide'
— Katie Bo Williams (@KatieBoWill) January 5, 2017
.@SenJackReed calls for creation of special select Senate committee on #Russianhacking since it spills across jurisdictional divide. #SASC
— Kristina Wong (@kristina_wong) January 5, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellDems to GOP leadership: Help us to fix ObamaCare Russian hacking in spotlight: Live coverage of hearing How Sessions lost in '86 confirmation battle MORE (R-Ky.) has ruled out a select panel.
Today's hearing is a hot ticket. The room is packed.
It is jam-packed in here. https://t.co/14e3LbJR3H
— Katie Bo Williams (@KatieBoWill) January 5, 2017
McCain: Election is settled
Sen. John McCainJohn McCainRussian hacking in spotlight: Live coverage of hearing Russian hacking illustrates increasing role of cybersecurity in geopolitical warfare Five things to watch for in Russia hearings MORE opened a highly anticipated hearing on Russian hacking by saying that the presidential election has been settled.
The chairman of the Armed Services Committee noted that both President Obama and President-elect Donald Trump have said it is time to move on, and he said he did not mean for the hearing to question the election's result.
The careful comments are a sign that McCain doesn't want the hearing to be viewed as an attack on Trump, something consistent with his other public comments.