[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2847-S2850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Russia Investigation

  Mr. CARPER. Madam President, good morning. I looked down, and the 
Presiding Officers have changed. It is nice to be here with you this 
morning.
  Our Presiding Officer is tied to the military--Army colonel, highly 
distinguished. She comes from Iowa and travels home every weekend. She 
covers every county in Iowa. In a year, I cover every county in 
Delaware, sometimes in a day. We only have 3; she has probably 100 or 
so. But we have the opportunity to go home frequently to our respective 
States and to be with our families and the folks we work for. I love 
doing it, and I know our Presiding Officer does as well.
  People come up to me--I go back and forth on the train just about 
every

[[Page S2848]]

night and will do that tonight, as I did last night. I feel very 
fortunate to be able to be that close to my constituents. I serve in 
the Senate with my colleagues and actually live in my home State. It is 
a blessing.
  I think I am approachable. I know our Presiding Officer is. Senator 
Cornyn is approachable. People come up and talk to us all the time, 
which is good--which is good. Sometimes I just want to say hello. 
Sometimes I will ask them how they are doing. More often than not, 
lately, people say: I wouldn't want your job for anything. You have the 
worst job in the world.

  I say: No, no. I feel really lucky.
  Throughout the 200-and-some years we have been a country, only about 
1,800 people have been privileged to serve in this body, and we are 
fortunate that we are able to serve here today, especially during these 
challenging times.
  Since the 2016 election, however, a broad number of Delawareans and 
American citizens have approached me, whether in the Rite Supermarket 
or on the Amtrak train, to share with me their sense of uncertainty and 
their fears regarding the trajectory of our country. Specifically, they 
have expressed their uncertainty about the future of the special 
counsel's investigation and their fears that the President may put his 
own personal interests above the interests of all Americans and the 
Constitution of our country.
  As we pass the 1-year mark following Deputy Attorney General Rob 
Rosenstein's appointment of former FBI Director Bob Mueller to become 
special counsel, I think it is worth remembering why the investigation 
began, what it has uncovered, where it is headed, and how we can uphold 
the rule of law and protect the investigation from political 
interference as we seek to ascertain the truth.
  During the 2016 Presidential campaign, our democracy was attacked by 
a foreign adversary. No shots were fired. No bombs were dropped. But 
let me be as clear as I can be. Russia attacked the United States of 
America. Using sophisticated cyber warfare, Russia interfered in our 
electoral process. As they have in other Western democracies, Russia 
borrowed from their tried-and-true playbook. Russian internet trolls 
posed as American citizens on Facebook and on Twitter. Russian shell 
companies funded political propaganda online, all with the intent of 
pitting us against one another and spreading this information among the 
American electorate.
  We also know that our Nation's election infrastructure was targeted 
by the Kremlin and that Russian cyber attacks penetrated voting 
machines in some of our States--not all of our States but a number of 
them.
  Thomas Jefferson often wrote about the truth, including a famous 
description of a few truths that we still consider self-evident; 
namely, that all men--I would add all women--are created equal and 
entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  Later in life, Jefferson remarked that ``we are not afraid to follow 
truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason 
is left free to combat it.'' Those words really ring true today, don't 
they?
  Jefferson also used to say something to this effect, and I am 
paraphrasing: The people--that is, the people of the United States--
know the truth. We won't make a mistake. If people know the truth, they 
won't make a mistake.
  Since the attack by Russia on our democracy, many patriotic Americans 
within Federal law enforcement and our intelligence agencies have been 
heeding Jefferson's advice and seeking to follow the truth. Here is 
what we have learned.
  In a declassified report released in January of 2017, our own 
intelligence agencies told us that ``Russian President Vladimir Putin 
ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at . . . undermin[ing] 
public faith in the U.S. democratic process.''
  Further, our own intelligence agencies told us that ``Russian efforts 
to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election represent the most 
recent expression of Moscow's longstanding desire to undermine the 
U.S.-led liberal democratic order.''
  Those same agencies, our own intelligence agencies--I think there are 
17 in all that combined to provide this report--told us that it will 
happen again: ``Moscow will apply lessons learned from its Putin-
ordered campaign aimed at the U.S. presidential election to future 
influence efforts worldwide, including against U.S. allies and their 
election processes.''
  During recent testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, the 
Director of National Intelligence and our former Senate colleague Dan 
Coats--a good friend of many of us from Indiana--said these words: 
``There should be no doubt that Russia perceives that its past efforts 
have been successful and views the 2018 midterm U.S. elections as a 
potential target for Russian influence operations.''
  I will read those words again. Our colleague Dan Coats, who sat over 
there and served with us for many years--he and I served together in 
the House before that, and he was an Ambassador to Germany, but now he 
is the Director of our National Intelligence--said: ``There should be 
no doubt that Russia perceives that its past efforts have been 
successful and views the 2018 midterm U.S. elections as a potential 
target for Russian influence operations.'' Then he added: ``Frankly, 
the United States is under attack.''
  I approve that message. I don't welcome that message, but we need to 
hear that message, and we need to take it to heart.
  In response, we have a responsibility--not to any political party but 
to our Constitution and to the American people--to band together as we 
would following any attack on our country. We have a responsibility to 
fight back, to protect and safeguard our democracy, and to ensure that 
it never happens again.
  We also have a responsibility--again one that rises above political 
party--to determine whether the Trump campaign may have had 
inappropriate contact with Russia during that campaign.
  This responsibility is shared between Congress and the executive 
branch, including the different committees in the House and Senate, as 
well as the Department of Justice, the FBI, and our intelligence 
agencies. Unfortunately, our President has rejected this responsibility 
from the start.
  Let's not forget that President Trump fired former FBI Director James 
Comey and publicly stated it was because of the Russia investigation. 
President Trump told NBC News: ``When I decided to [fire Comey] I said 
to myself, I said, `You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia 
is a made-up story, it's an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an 
election that they should've won.' '' Those are President Trump's words 
to NBC News.
  Because Attorney General Sessions has recused himself from matters 
involving Russia and the 2016 election, Deputy Attorney General Rod 
Rosenstein, a lifelong Republican appointed by President Trump to his 
current position, made the decision to appoint a special counsel to 
continue the Russia investigation.
  Let me take a moment to remind the American people about the 
background and the character of this special counsel. Bob Mueller has 
spent his life serving our country with distinction.
  Our Presiding Officer: Army, highly decorated.
  Yours truly: Navy, 23 years, all in Active Duty and Reserve.
  Here is what Bob Mueller received in some of his decorations as an 
officer in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war--a war in which I 
served as well. He received the Bronze Star, and he earned two Navy 
Commendation Medals and the Purple Heart--all as an officer in the 
Marine Corps during the Vietnam war.
  After a career in Federal law enforcement and private law practice, 
President George W. Bush nominated him to serve as our FBI Director, 
and Bob Mueller guided the FBI in the aftermath of the September 11 
terrorist attacks. A steady hand during uncertain times, Director 
Mueller gained the respect and the admiration of the men and women of 
the FBI, as well as those of us here on Capitol Hill.
  During my tenure as chairman and ranking member of the Senate 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I had the 
opportunity to meet with Director Mueller on a range of issues, 
including protecting our Nation from cyber security threats. Let me 
just say that I think that maybe in the 17 years I have been here, the 
best briefing I have ever received on cyber security was from Bob

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Mueller. The very best briefing I ever received was from Bob Mueller.
  I also got to know him personally. I know his wife. My wife and I 
know his wife. We believe that he is guided by very strong core values: 
Figure out the right thing to do, and just do it--not when it is easy, 
not when it is expedient, but when it is right. Treat other people the 
way we want to be treated. Focus on excellence in everything we do. If 
it isn't perfect, make it better. And when you know you are right, be 
sure you are right. Never give up. Those are his values. I suspect 
those are the values of many of us who serve here.
  Bob Mueller is a man of unimpeachable integrity. There may be no 
person better suited to this task of special counsel. I have every 
confidence that he will follow the truth wherever it may lead him and 
those he leads. But don't just take my word for it. When the Deputy 
Attorney General appointed him to the position of special counsel a 
little more than a year ago, his selection drew a particularly 
resounding endorsement from those of us who serve here in the Senate--
not just on this side but, in particular, on the other side of the 
aisle.
  Here is what John McCain said about Bob Mueller: ``Robert Mueller is 
a great choice for special counsel.'' John went on to add that he is 
``confident that Mr. Mueller will fully investigate all aspects of 
Russia's interference in our election.''
  Senator Burr said: ``By having someone like Bob Mueller head [the] 
investigation assures the American people that there's no undue 
influence, be it here or be it at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue 
or within the Justice Department or FBI.'' Those are the words of 
Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, a Republican.
  Even former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, with whom I served in the 
House, said this about Bob Mueller: ``Robert Mueller is a superb choice 
to be special counsel. His reputation is impeccable for honesty and 
integrity.''
  I have not known Robert Mueller for as long as some who serve here, 
but I have known him for a while. I have had a chance to work with him 
on some important issues and matters for our country and for the 
security of our country. He is as fine as any public servant I have 
ever known and served with.
  Unfortunately, President Trump has not been as praiseworthy of our 
special counsel as the Senators I just quoted and the former House 
Speaker I just quoted. President Trump has repeatedly used his Twitter 
account to call Special Counsel Mueller's investigation a ``witch 
hunt.'' A witch hunt? In February, 13 Russian individuals and 3 Russian 
companies were charged with breaking U.S. law and interfering in the 
2016 election--13. The indictment details an elaborate, coordinated 
scheme to disrupt our election. Moreover, three Trump campaign 
officials have pled guilty to crimes that include lying to the FBI 
about contacts with Russia during the campaign and a conspiracy to 
defraud the United States, and the former Trump campaign manager is 
currently facing similar charges.
  Despite the progress of the investigation, we know from news reports 
that President Trump repeatedly has considered firing Director Mueller 
and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. That would be a grave mistake. 
That would be a very grave mistake.
  Instead of exercising Presidential leadership and holding Russia 
accountable and safeguarding our upcoming election, President Trump 
continues to use dangerous rhetoric directed toward the special 
counsel's investigation, as well as at the people who work for us, who 
serve at the FBI and the Department of Justice, and who deserve our 
thanks, not our scorn.
  Instead of exercising Presidential leadership and holding Russia 
accountable and safeguarding our upcoming election, President Trump is 
now demanding a counterinvestigation.
  Instead of exercising Presidential leadership and holding Russia 
accountable in safeguarding our elections, President Trump is now 
undermining the special counsel's investigation while risking the 
identity of American intelligence sources.
  Despite this failure of Presidential leadership, the special 
counsel's investigation must go on.
  A Methodist minister in Seaford, in Southern Delaware, Pastor 
Reynolds--a wonderful man, now deceased--gave me advice during my 
career, particularly when I was Governor. One day, he said: Governor, 
the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
  I said: Would you say that again, Pastor?
  He said: The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
  In this case, I think the main thing is for us to find out and 
ascertain the truth. Special Counsel Mueller must be allowed to follow 
the truth, no matter where it leads, no matter how uncomfortable that 
makes President Trump or other people, no matter how uncomfortable that 
makes Vladimir Putin. We must continue to ensure Special Counsel 
Mueller has the time and resources he needs to follow the truth and 
bring this investigation to a conclusion.
  We must also protect the special counsel from undue political 
influence, and send a strong signal to President Trump that firing 
Robert Mueller or Rod Rosenstein, without clear legal justification, 
would pose a grave threat to our constitutional system of checks and 
balances.
  To be clear, we can't pass a bill to end President Trump's erratic 
threats on Twitter, though I know there are a few people--some here--
who would support such a proposal. However, here is what we can do: We 
can pass a bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators Coons, Tillis, 
Booker, and Graham, to protect the special counsel's investigation. The 
legislation, called the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, 
would ensure that the special counsel can only be fired for good cause 
by a senior Justice Department official, and the reason must be 
provided in writing. It will ensure that in the event of his firing, 
the special counsel can seek expedited judicial review of his removal, 
and it will also preserve all the documents and materials related to 
this investigation.
  I thank our four colleagues--two Democrats, two Republicans--for 
introducing this bipartisan bill. I support it and urge its swift 
passage. Passing this bill will demonstrate to the American people that 
despite the uncertainties and maybe the fears at this moment, we still 
have a system of checks and balances which still works, as it has been 
working for 240 years.
  There are more constitutions in this world modeled after the U.S. 
Constitution than any other constitution ever. Ours is the most 
emulated and longest living Constitution on the face of the Earth. It 
has an intricate system of checks and balances. Our Founding Fathers--
who convened in Philadelphia 240 years ago--developed the Constitution 
we know of today and sent it out to the Thirteen Colonies to debate and 
consider whether they wanted to ratify it. The first State to ratify 
the Constitution was the State of Delaware, and the Constitution is 
something we especially revere in the First State, but if we allow the 
system of checks and balances as called for in the Constitution to 
work, it will eventually lead us to the truth--which is what we should 
all seek, not just in this Senate, not just in the Congress, not just 
in one party or the other, not just any one State or the other but all 
of us.
  If the unthinkable were to happen and the special counsel were fired 
on a whim, I believe the legislation I just talked about would help us 
preserve the Russia investigation and the rule of law.
  Like Special Counsel Mueller, Congress must not be afraid to follow 
the truth. We must not be distracted by the President's tweets and 
other attempts to undermine this important investigation. We must keep 
the main thing the main thing. Special Counsel Mueller and his team 
must be allowed to finish this investigation, and Congress--especially 
our Republican colleagues--must do our part to protect the 
investigation and insist the President stop the political interference 
and gamesmanship.
  Taken together, I believe these actions will allow us to emerge from 
this especially challenging moment in our country, as we often have 
following other crises throughout our history. We will emerge stronger 
and more resilient, and we will emerge deeply proud that we upheld our 
responsibility to the Constitution and to the American people.

[[Page S2850]]

  In closing, I want to mention that a lot of times people come up to 
me--maybe not every day but several times a week. Some are Democrat, 
some are Republican, some are Independent, some are probably not even 
registered to vote. They say: I fear for the future of our country. I 
don't think it has ever been this bad before. We have never seen it 
this bad before.
  I remind them of the words from Harry Truman, who once served in this 
body as a Senator from Missouri, later as Vice President, and then as 
President of our country. Harry Truman used to say: ``The only thing 
new in the world is the history you do not know.'' Think about that, 
the only thing new in the world is the history we forgot or never 
learned.
  My sister and I grew up in the town of Danville, VA, right on the 
North Carolina border, the last capital of the confederacy. A lot of 
people think the last capital of the confederacy was Richmond, VA, but 
it wasn't. Jefferson Davis and those closest to him got out of 
Richmond, headed south, and ended up in Danville. That is where my 
sister and I grew up, and we saw prejudice and discrimination as little 
kids up close and personal. I will never forget it. There are some 
people in Danville still fighting the Civil War 150 years afterwards, 
at least in their minds.
  During the Civil War, 800,000 men were killed on both sides, and 
hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children were wounded, 
crippled. When the war was over, what happened? When the war was over, 
our President was assassinated. His successor, Andrew Johnson, the 
Senator from Tennessee, who also served here, was impeached.
  Somehow, we got through the Civil War, with the assassination of a 
President and the impeachment of a President, and we made it to the 
20th century--just in time to fight not one but two World Wars. We won 
them, led the world and our allies to victory in the Cold War, and led 
the world out of the Great Depression.
  Then, when the Sun came up on the 21st century, on January 1, 2001, 
here is where America was as a nation: We had the strongest economy on 
Earth, and we had the most productive workforce on Earth. For the first 
time since 1968, we actually had a balanced budget--not just one, not 
two, not three but four balanced budgets--the last 4 years of the 
Clinton Presidency. While we had a Democratic President and 
administration, we had a Republican Congress. If I am not mistaken, the 
chairman of the House Budget Committee was very much involved in the 
balanced budgets, a Republican from Ohio, our friend John Kasich, 
former Congressman, now Governor of Ohio.
  So we had the strongest economy and the most productive workforce, 
four balanced budgets in a row, and, on January 1, 2001, we were the 
most admired Nation on Earth, and we had the strongest force for 
justice on Earth. That is where we were, after all the bad stuff and 
all those challenges of 150 years, beginning with and following the 
Civil War.
  If we can get through all that, we can get through this. In the words 
of Jefferson, if the American people know the truth, we will not make a 
mistake. That is what Bob Mueller and his folks are trying to get to, 
and it is important that they succeed.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.