Washington (WBAP/KLIF) – According intelligence officials, Iran and Russia are attempting to influence the presidential election.
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Wednesday both Iran and Russia have obtained US voter registration information in an effort to interfere in the election, including Iran posing as the far-right group Proud Boys to send intimidating emails to voters.
Ratcliffe, appearing alongside FBI Director Chris Wray, said at a hastily arranged news conference Wednesday evening that Iran was responsible for the email campaign, made to look like it came from the Proud Boys, as well as spreading disinformation about voter fraud through a video linked in some of the emails.
Fox’s Radio News’ David Miller has more:
Ratcliffe did not explain what he meant by his statement that the emails — which were sent to registered voters from “info@officialproudboys.com” and warned recipients to “Vote for Trump or else!” — were intended to damage the President.
Democrats and a group of former intelligence officials have accused Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman tapped to lead the intelligence community this year, of selectively declassifying intelligence in the run-up to the election to help Trump’s campaign, and Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee criticized him after the news conference.
“DO NOT listen to Ratcliffe. Partisan hack,” the committee’s Twitter account said Wednesday evening in a tweet that was later deleted. The committee followed that statement by saying, “TO CLARIFY: These election interference operations are clearly not meant to harm President Trump.”
Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, accused Ratcliffe of trying to “change the subject,” and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “I had the strong impression it was much rather to undermine confidence in elections and not aimed at any particular figure. And I’m surprised that DNI Ratcliffe said that at his press conference if he did.”
White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement that the news conference was an example of Trump putting “America first.”
“He has directed the FBI, DOJ, and defense and intel agencies to proactively monitor and thwart any attempts to interfere in US elections, and because of the great work of our law enforcement agencies we have stopped an attempt by America’s adversaries to undermine our elections,” Deere said.
(Copyright 2020 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News. This report contains material from Fox Radio News, The Associated Press and CNN)
