[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E919-E920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE NEED TO FULLY FUND AND PROTECT THE INDEPENDENCE AND INTEGRITY OF 
 THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIA'S INTERFERENCE IN 2016 
         PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND ATTACK ON AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2018

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the House on the 
critical importance of fully funding the investigation by Special 
Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. 
presidential election and the extent to which officials of the Trump 
Campaign may have aided and encouraged this attack on our democracy.
  If we are to protect the rule of law and prevent future interference 
in our elections, it is essential that Special Counsel Mueller's 
thorough and nonpartisan investigation continued unimpeded until all 
the facts are known and laid bare before the American people.
  There are at least five (5) reasons why the Congress must act to 
protect the Special Counsel's Russia investigation from White House 
interference and obstruction.
  First, we need to restore public confidence in our elections and 
protect against interference in the future.
  Our intelligence agencies are unanimous in their conclusions that 
Russia engaged in an unprecedented campaign to undermine our elections 
through cyber-attacks, dissemination of false information, and other 
intelligence operations.
  It is imperative that we understand fully the nature of the 
interference and how to harden our electoral processes to prevent 
future attacks.
  Second, there is evidence that Trump campaign operatives conspired 
with the Russians.
  As disturbing as the Russian attack on the election is, the growing 
likelihood that some Americans aided this most hostile foreign 
adversary in undermining the very foundation of our democracy.
  There is much circumstantial evidence to support this conclusion.
  Members of the Trump Campaign high-command had meetings with Russian 
officials that were not disclosed in testimony and in security 
clearance applications.
  Senior Trump Campaign officials attempted to establish secret 
communications with the Russian government that would preclude 
oversight by U.S. intelligence agencies.
  Senior Trump Campaign officials had unusual financial ties to Russia.
  Senior Trump Campaign officials had advance knowledge of when Russian 
operatives would release documents stolen by the Russians from the 
Clinton campaign.
  Senior Trump Campaign officials (including Trump's son and son-in-
law, and Campaign Chairman) met in Trump Tower on June 9, 2016 with a 
Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer and a former Soviet counterintelligence 
officer under the assumption they would provide politically damaging 
information about Hillary Clinton as part of the Russian government's 
efforts to support the Trump campaign.
  The firing of FBI Director James Comey has increased suspicion of 
collusion with the Russian government.
  The FBI determined that there was sufficient evidence to warrant an 
investigation into possible collusion with the Russian government.
  According to Former FBI Director James Comey, President Trump made 
unusual requests of him; including asking for his loyalty and hoping he 
would derail the Russian investigation.
  Director Comey refused to make such commitments.
  On May 9, 2017, President Trump fired Director Comey and admitted 
publically the next day that he fired Director Comey ``because of the 
Russia investigation.''
  The Special Counsel must have the resources needed to perform a fair 
and credible investigation.
  The Department of Justice's appointment of former FBI Director Robert 
S. Mueller III to oversee the investigation was met with wide approval 
in Congress and the general public.
  Special Counsel Mueller has a well-earned reputation for fairness, 
probity, integrity, objectivity, and nonpartisan.
  The more evidence of collusion uncovered by Special Counsel Mueller, 
the more the President threatens to fire the Special Counsel or issue 
pardons to those implicated in the investigation.
  There is strong evidence of collusion.
  Republicans may point to the House Intelligence Committee report 
(written by Republicans) that concluded there was no collusion between 
the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.
  House Intelligence Committee Democrats disagree with that report 
charging that Republicans did not take its investigation seriously.
  House Republicans refused to call key witnesses or request pertinent 
documents, and refused to compel and enforce witness cooperation and 
answers to key questions.
  Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee concluded the opposite, 
citing significant evidence pointing to collusion in the 70+ secret 
meetings and communications between senior Trump campaign officials 
(including Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulous, Donald 
Trump Jr., Michael Flynn, Carter Page, and others with agents or 
entities allied with Vladimir Putin or the Russian government.
  Mr. Speaker, this evening, just like last night and the night before, 
Paul Manafort, the Chairman of the 2016 Trump Campaign, sleeps in a 
jail, indicted and accused of money-laundering, criminal fraud, and 
being an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
  Michael Flynn, the President's first National Security Advisor, has 
been indicted and pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators 
regarding his contacts and communications with agents of Vladimir 
Putin's Russia.
  Also pleading guilty or indicted in Special Counsel Mueller's 
investigation are George Papadopoulous; and Trump Deputy Campaign 
Manager Rick Gates.
  All told, Special Counsel Mueller has won indictments against 19 
persons--including 13 Russian nationals--and three Russian companies.
  Special Counsel Mueller's investigation is not a `witch-hunt' but a 
reasonable and necessary response to an attack on our country and its 
most fundamental democratic institution: free, fair, and untainted 
elections.
  Without the rule of law and democratic governance, all is lost; and 
all the efforts by our

[[Page E920]]

Republican friends to cut taxes for millionaires and multinational 
corporations, explode the deficit, and punish working families will 
avail us of nothing but `the tinkling of cymbals and the sounding of 
brass.'

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