by Morgan Phillips
Stefanik said the FBI has been stonewalling her 'very basic, easy' questions about the hack
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik claimed that the FBI is "covering up" Iranian election interference to "tip the scales" for Democrats.
Stefanik, a Republican, told Fox News Digital the FBI has been stonewalling her "very basic, easy" questions about the bureau’s knowledge of the Iran-linked hack of the Trump campaign in which data was then peddled to the Biden campaign and mainstream media news outlets.
"I believe there was politicization from the Biden-Kamala Harris administration that they were notified prior to the Trump campaign to tip the scales," she claimed. "The FBI has functioned like an arm of the Democrat Party."
The Trump campaign claimed in August it was hacked by Iran. In September, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that Iran had hacked the campaign and indicted three Iranian nationals for their alleged role in the scheme.
On Sept. 19, the FBI conducted a closed briefing with Stefanik and other members of the Intelligence Committee on foreign election interference. During the briefing, Stefanik claimed FBI officials appeared "panicked" when she questioned them, but promised to follow up with answers.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik claimed that the FBI is "covering up" Iranian election interference to "tip the scales" for Democrats. (AP/Mariam Zuhaib)
After the briefing, Stefanik wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding answers by Oct. 7.
The
FBI then said it would deliver answers at an in-person briefing,
according to Stefanik. Then they promised written answers — which never
came.
Stefanik has been demanding to know when and how the FBI
learned of the Iranian hack of the Trump campaign, when the FBI notified
both campaigns of the hack, whether the FBI knew who was responsible
for peddling the information to the media and the Biden or Harris
campaigns and whether the FBI had used Section 702 of the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap conversations related to the
hack.
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The hackers had created fake email accounts and impersonated current or former U.S. officials and then duped Trump campaign staff using spear phishing into clicking on emails that reportedly contained malware.
She said the FBI could reveal such information without impeding any investigations or revealing sources or classified information.
"I'm one of the longest serving members on House Intelligence Committee. When the FBI won't answer questions, it's because you've hit on something and they're hiding something. They are corrupt to the core."
The FBI said it had "vigorously" called out Iranian election interference and briefed multiple committees in Congress with jurisdiction on the threats.
"The FBI under Director [Christopher] Wray has vigorously and repeatedly called out the threat posed by Iran. The FBI does not play in partisan politics and has proactively informed victims of the threats posed by this regime while also publicly bringing attention to their actions," the FBI said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The FBI has also briefed dozens of members of Congress across multiple committees in both open and classified briefings and hearings. It is no secret how active the FBI has been in countering actions by Iran as evidenced by the recent indictment of Iranian cyber actors linked to a hack-and-leak operation designed to influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election."
Stefanik also raised the issue in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal.
"It is my duty to share with the American people what the FBI has failed to answer—and, I believe, is willfully covering up—about Iranian influence in the 2024 presidential election."
Numerous intelligence reports have revealed that U.S. foes like Iran, Russia and China have made efforts to meddle in the November election.
In September, Trump’s campaign said that intelligence officials warned the Republican candidate of "real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him." (AP )
Intelligence reports have found Iran is trying to assassinate Trump and hack his campaign. (Iranian Leader Press Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
In September, Trump’s campaign said that intelligence officials warned the Republican candidate of "real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him."
A report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), released Tuesday, found that "efforts by Iran to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other former U.S. officials" are "likely to persist after voting ends, regardless of outcome."
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The report definitively said that Iran prefers Vice President Kamala Harris and will focus efforts on stopping Trump, and that Russia prefers Trump and will continue to attack Harris.
A Microsoft report found last week that Iranian government-linked hackers have been scouring election websites in swing states for vulnerabilities.
Last week, Iran built a fake online persona known as "Bushnell's Men," calling on U.S. voters to sit out the election due to both candidates' support of Israel's military operations, the report found.
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Both Trump and his high-level officials who ordered the strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 have faced death threats from Iran.
After the initial briefing, Stefanik demanded to know when and how the FBI learned of the Iranian hack of the Trump campaign, when the FBI notified both campaigns of the hack, whether the FBI knew who was responsible for peddling the information to the media and the Biden or Harris campaigns and whether the FBI had used Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap conversations related to the hack.
Morgan Phillips
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/stefanik-accuses-fbi-covering-up-iranian-hack-trump-campaign-tip-scales-dems
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