Russian Intel agencies trying to influence US polls

The blunt language goes far beyond the more equivocal characterizations issued by the White House and US intelligence agencies, which have so far been unwilling to explicitly blame Moscow.

They went on in the statement to claim that the only “the very senior levels” could’ve ordered such a plot, which again isn’t proven to exist, and followed it up with a demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately stop all efforts to try to hack and/or influence the U.S. elections. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Adam Schiff – Californians who are the ranking Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence committees, respectively – described recent cyber penetrations of the Democratic National Committee and other US political entities as intrusions that were likely directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Based on briefings we have received, we have concluded that the Russian intelligence agencies are making a serious and concerted effort to influence the USA election”, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Adam Schiff said in an unusually strongly worded joint statement.

Earlier this month, Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama’s homeland security adviser, said it would be hard for someone to hack into America’s voting systems in a way that could alter the outcome of an election.

“We believe that orders for the Russian intelligence agencies to conduct such actions could come only from very senior levels of the Russian government”, they said. Dianne Feinstein (D – CA), are once again, despite any publicly available evidence to support the allegations, presenting claims Russian Federation is hacking the United States election as an unquestionable fact. The leaks, created to embarrass the Democrats, would cross a line, several officials have said.

Lawmakers from both parties have called for a USA response to the hacking.

Michael Vickers, a former top Pentagon intelligence official who is now advising Hillary Clinton, said Wednesday that Russian cyber attacks on the US political system were “beyond the pale”, and “appalling”.

Asked whether the US might respond to the hacking, Monaco said “Stay tuned”.

The Obama administration has not said how, if at all, it will respond to Russian hacking.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has named his longtime ally, the speaker of parliament and Putin’s chief of staff, to head the country’s foreign intelligence service.

Feinstein and Schiff said they reached their conclusion “based on briefings we have received” from USA intelligence agencies.