In the News

Morgan Chalfant

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday tried to subpoena the top U.S. intelligence official to testify publicly on the threat posed by Russia to elections, but they were blocked by their Republican colleagues.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) motioned to subpoena Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to testify publicly on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election during a hearing on election security Tuesday morning, after Democrats criticized Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) for declining their request to ask Coats to testify Tuesday morning.

While Gowdy had offered to invite Coats to testify before the committee in a classified setting, Democrats described that offer as insufficient.

“We appreciate your agreement to hold a classified briefing with [the Office of Director of National Intelligence], but we think a briefing, albeit helpful, needs to be accompanied by a public hearing,” said Connolly, adding that a closed-door briefing would be “no substitute” for a public one.

Connolly then moved to subpoena Coats “to testify at a public hearing before this committee and the public about the extent of the Russian threat involved.”

Ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) backed up Connolly’s effort, knocking Gowdy for not subpoenaing Coats to appear before the committee on Tuesday.

“We must make sure that the public hears directly from Director Coats about the attack,” Cummings said.

Republicans defeated the effort to subpoena Coats to testify publicly. The committee voted along party lines 17-15 to table the motion.

Coats has been in the spotlight for the past week after President Trump cast doubt on the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the election following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. Coats issued a statement backing up the “fact-based” findings of the intelligence community shortly after Trump’s remarks.

Trump’s remarks in Helsinki last Monday prompted bipartisan backlash. While the president has since walked back his statement – saying he misspoke – the developments have nevertheless been a flashpoint for criticism of Trump in recent days.

Coats later said he was just doing his job and that he believed he needed “to correct the record.” He said he was encouraged by the president’s subsequent clarification.

“Obviously, I wished he had made a different statement, but I think now that has been clarified based on his late reactions to this,” Coats said at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.

The Oversight Committee hearing Tuesday featured witnesses from the federal government -- including a top official at the Department of Homeland Security who is spearheading federal efforts to help states secure their voting systems -- as well as state and local officials.

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/398562-house-republicans-defeat-attempt-to-subpoena-coats-to-testify-publicly