Senator Coons' statement on the DOJ Inspector General report on the Russia probe

Statement

U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the release of the Justice Department's Inspector General (IG) report on certain actions taken during the FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

"After an exhaustive investigation, the DOJ Inspector General's report makes clear that this was a legitimate investigation into Russian interference, not some conspiracy to get the President. Based on the unanimous conclusion of our intelligence community, we know that Russia engaged in an unprecedented attack on our elections -- hacking into computers, strategically releasing stolen materials, and conducting a massive disinformation campaign to sow division in American society and to help the Trump campaign.

"It was the FBI's job to investigate. Far from a "hoax' or a "witch hunt,' the Special Counsel investigation produced 37 indictments, guilty pleas, and convictions, including from President Trump's campaign manager, his national security advisor, and his personal attorney. This was a legitimate, warranted investigation into serious wrongdoing.

"I am glad that the IG report found no evidence of political bias or improper motivation in opening the investigation into Russian interference. That said, we must hold our law enforcement to the highest standards. I appreciate the FBI's full cooperation with the investigation and Director Wray's prompt action to address the errors that the Inspector General identified, promote accountability, and implement the IG's recommendations. As the FBI moves forward in implementing these changes, we as a nation should not be distracted from the threat of foreign interference in our elections. We must confront these ongoing attacks on a bipartisan basis, and it is my hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in doing just that."

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