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U.S. NEWS Thursday 13 sepTember 2018

Trump OKs sanctions for foreigners who meddle in elections

By DEB RIECHMANN where that he simply can-
Associated Press not be counted upon to
WASHINGTON (AP) — stand up to (Russian Presi-
President Donald Trump dent Vladimir) Putin when it
signed an executive order matters,” said Warner, who
Wednesday authorizing is sponsoring the bill.
sanctions against foreign- At a July 16 news confer-
ers who meddle in U.S. ence with Putin in Hel-
elections, acting amid criti- sinki, Trump was asked if
cism that he has not taken he would denounce what
election security seriously happened in 2016 and
enough. warn Putin never to do it
“We felt it was important to again. Trump did not di-
demonstrate the president rectly answer the question.
has taken command of this Instead, he delivered a
issue, that it’s something he rambling response, includ-
cares deeply about — that ing demands for investiga-
the integrity of our elec- tion of Hillary Clinton’s email
tions and our constitutional server and his description
process are a high priority of Putin’s “extremely strong
to him,” said national secu- and powerful” denial of
rity adviser John Bolton. meddling. That drew out-
In the order, the president rage from both Republican
declared a national emer- and Democrats. Mike Rog-
gency, an action required President Donald Trump speaks during a Congressional Medal of Honor Society reception in the ers, former director of the
under sanctions author- East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. National Security Agency,
ity, to deal with the threat Associated Press said he thought Trump
of foreign meddling in U.S. directs intelligence agen- bill would spell out sanc- ner, ranking Democrat on missed an opportunity in
elections. cies to conduct an assess- tions on key economic the Senate intelligence Helsinki to publicly scold
The order calls for sanction- ment within 45 days after sectors of a country that committee, said the order Russia for meddling. Rog-
ing any individual, compa- an election to report any interferes. Those backing leaves the president with ers said when he used to
ny or country that interferes meddling to the attorney the legislation say that un- broad discretion to decide talk to Trump about the is-
with campaign infrastruc- general and Department der the bill, a nation would whether to impose tough sue, Trump would often re-
ture, such as voter regis- of Homeland Security. The know exactly what it would sanctions. “Unfortunately, spond to him, saying “Mike,
tration databases, voting attorney general and De- face if caught. President Trump demon- you know, I’m in a different
machines and equipment partment of Homeland Se- Virginia Sen. Mark War- strated in Helsinki and else- place.”q
used for tabulating or trans- curity then have another
mitting results. It also autho- 45 days to assess whether
rizes sanctions for engag- sanctions should be im-
ing in covert, fraudulent or posed. “This clearly is a
deceptive activities, such process put in place to try
as distributing disinforma- to assure that we are do-
tion or propaganda, to in- ing every possible thing we
fluence or undermine con- can, first of all, to prevent
fidence in U.S. elections. any interference with our
It requires the national in- elections, to report on any-
telligence director to make thing we see between now
regular assessments about and the election, but then
foreign interference and to do a full assessment after
asks the Homeland Security the election to assure the
and Justice departments American people just ex-
to submit reports on med- actly what may have hap-
dling in campaign-related pened or may not have
infrastructure. It also lays happened,” Coats said.
out how the Treasury and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.,
State departments will rec- and Sen. Chris Van Hollen,
ommend what sanctions D-Md., are pushing a bill
to impose. that would prohibit foreign
With the midterm elections governments from pur-
now two months away, Na- chasing election ads, us-
tional Intelligence Director ing social media to spread
Dan Coats said the U.S. is false information or disrupt-
not currently seeing the in- ing election infrastructure.
tensity of Russian interven- They said Trump’s order
tion that was experienced recognizes the threat, but
in 2016, but he didn’t rule it doesn’t go far enough.
out. He said the U.S. is also The order gives the execu-
worried about the cyber tive branch the discretion
activities of China, North to impose sanctions for
Korea and Iran. election meddling, but the
Coats said Trump’s order