Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell questioned whether further election security legislation is needed ahead of Senate briefing on the topic Wednesday.
Democratic demands to do more on election security legislation come after the release of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
But while there is a bipartisan acknowledgment that Russia interfered in the 2016, McConnell and Senate Republicans have thrown cold water on the need to do more.In a floor speech, McConnell said that while Congress will continue to “assess whether future legislative steps might be needed,” he accused Democrats of making election security a political issue.
“We need to make sure this conversation is clear-eyed and sober and serious,” he said. “It’s interesting that some of our colleagues across the aisle seem to have already made up their minds before we hear from the experts later today. Their brand-new sweeping Washington intervention is just the doctor ordered.”
McConnell also blamed Obama officials for emboldening Russian President Vladimir Putin to meddle in the 2016 election. McConnell has also faced scrutiny over election interference. In 2016, the Washington Post reported he expressed doubts about the conclusion from U.S. intelligence agencies about Russian interference in a briefing with Congressional leaders.
The all-Senate briefing comes after a request from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who along with the Democratic caucus, has called on the Senate to pass additional legislation to increase election security.
Democrats have tried but failed previously to pass such legislation by voice vote. Schumer also said recently he would push for more election security funding as part of budget negotiations.The briefing is expected to include Trump administration officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine