WASHINGTON �� President-elect Donald Trump rejected a CIA finding that Russia intervened in the election on his behalf, as senior Senate Republicans and Democrats began a joint review of Moscow's actions.
Trump dismissed reports the CIA assessment, which that found that hackers linked to Russia had interfered in the election with the goal of helping Trump win. He called the notion "ridiculous."
"I think it's just another excuse" from Hillary Clinton supporters, Trump said on "Fox News Sunday." "I don't believe it."
Trump accused Democrats bitter over the election outcome of leaking the CIA assessment, suggesting that doing so would be one part revenge and another pinning Clinton's loss on Moscow.
"They have no idea if it's Russia or China," Trump said of the CIA. "It could be somebody sitting in a bed someplace. They have no idea."
Four senior senators, however, believe it was Russia.
Incoming Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, D-N.Y., and Senate Jack Reed, D-R.I., Armed Service Committee's ranking minority member, joined committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a committee member, in a joint statement saying the CIA report "should alarm every American."
"While protecting classified material, we have an obligation to inform the public about recent cyberattacks that have cut to the heart of our free society," the senators said Sunday. "Democrats and Republicans must work together, and across the jurisdictional lines of the Congress, to examine these recent incidents thoroughly and devise comprehensive solutions to deter and defend against further cyberattacks.
"This cannot become a partisan issue. The stakes are too high for our country," they said, announcing a bipartisan review of Russia's actions. "We are committed to working in this bipartisan manner, and we will seek to unify our colleagues around the goal of investigating and stopping the grave threats that cyberattacks conducted by foreign governments pose to our national security."
By joining with the Democrats, McCain and Graham are setting up an early clash with Trump, who has been accused of being soft on Russia. The president-elect has said the United States and Russia should be allies, and that a better relationship would help each achieve its strategic gains.
President Barack has ordered his own review of Russia's alleged actions.
