WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“Today’s Intelligence Committee hearing confirmed that the FBI is indeed investigating connections between the Trump campaign and Russia, and that there’s no evidence to support the President’s outrageous claim that President Obama wiretapped him.  At this point, neither of these revelations is shocking, but it remains deeply troubling that Donald Trump continues to levy these baseless and offensive charges.

“Russia attacked American democracy, and today’s hearing does not put that issue to rest. Unfortunately, with a few notable exceptions, Republican committee members ignored Russia’s attack on America and instead adopted the Administration’s defensive crouch, complaining about the way information has been made public.  The Republicans’ partisanship on this Committee underscores the need for an independent blue-ribbon commission to investigate any coordination between the Trump campaign and Putin’s regime, and Congress should act without delay to establish that commission.”

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