WASHINGTON _ The Senate Intelligence Committee's inquiry into Russian intelligence operations against the United States will investigate any possible links between Russia and American political campaigns, the panel said Friday.
The bipartisan investigation will also include a review of the American intelligence agencies' assessment of what they say was Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including cyberattacks and other so-called active measures.
But the committee's statement Friday evening said that it would also look into counterintelligence concerns stemming from the Kremlin's interference, including "any intelligence regarding links between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns" marked a shift for the panel.
The decision appeared to stem from the uproar caused by the publication of a 35-page dossier that makes unsubstantiated claims regarding contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
President-elect Donald Trump has denied the allegations and called the dossier, which was compiled by a former British intelligence officer for political opposition research, fake news aimed at undermining his legitimacy. U.S. intelligence chiefs reportedly briefed Trump on the claims when they also presented him with their official report on Russian meddling in the election.
In a joint statement, committee chairman Sen. Richard M. Burr, R-N.C., and vice chairman Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said the panel's inquiry into Russian operations "will follow the intelligence wherever it leads."
The committee will hold open hearings, interview senior officials of both the incoming and outgoing administrations, and issue subpoenas to compel testimony, if necessary. When finished, it will produce a classified and unclassified report of its findings.
"We will conduct this inquiry expeditiously, and we will get it right," Burr and Warner said. "We have received assurance from the Director of National Intelligence that the intelligence community will fully and promptly support our requests for information related to the investigation."
Warner said Russia's interference "impacts the foundations of our democratic system," and therefore requires "a full, deep and bipartisan examination." He said the committee is best positioned to conduct such an investigation, but if it cannot do it properly he will support legislation to empower "whoever can do it right."
Many Democrats, including the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, have called for a special committee or independent commission to investigate Russia's campaign targeting the presidential race.
