Russia draws senators’ focus in hearing on election meddling
WASHINGTON — Experts on national security painted a sinister picture for senators examining Russian meddling in the 2016 election, detailing the worldwide impact of fake news, smear campaigns and even killings they say could have ties to the Kremlin.
Clint Watts, a former FBI agent now with the Foreign Policy Research Institute Program on National Security, said the Senate intelligence committee should “follow the dead bodies.”
He said several Russians tied to the investigation into Kremlin disinformation activities have been killed in the past three months — not only in Russia, but in western countries as well.
Earlier Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin again dismissed what he called “endless and groundless” accusations of Russian meddling in the U.S. election, describing them as part of the U.S. domestic political struggle. He also said he is ready to meet with President Donald Trump at an upcoming arctic summit.