In an open letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Monday, a group of nine electors representing both parties vow to discharge their duties by the standard described in Alexander Hamilton’s The Federalist Paper No. 68.
“According to reports in the Washington Post, New York Times, and other outlets, the United States intelligence community has now concluded definitively that the Russian interference was performed to help Donald Trump get elected, yet even today Mr. Trump is refusing to accept that finding,” the letter states. “Separate from Mr. Trump’s own denials of Russian involvement in the election, the confirmed communication between Trump’s aides and those associated with the Russian election interference activity raise serious concerns that must be addressed before we cast our votes.”
Among the electors’ concerns are allegations that Russian government officials “maintained contact with the Trump campaign during the election,” reports of a propaganda operation to “sway American public opinion in favor of Ukraine’s pro-Putin government” and relationships between Trump associations and Russia President Vladimir Putin.
The electors also demand that Trump provide “conclusive evidence that he and his staff and advisors did not accept Russian interference, or otherwise collaborate during the campaign, and conclusive disavowal and repudiation of such collaboration and interference going forward.”
The letter is signed by Christine Pelosi, Michael Baca, Anita Bonds, Courtney Watson, Dudley Dudley, Bev Hollingworth, Terie Norelli, Carol Shea-Porter, Clay Pell and Chris Suprun.
“According to reports in the Washington Post, New York Times, and other outlets, the United States intelligence community has now concluded definitively that the Russian interference was performed to help Donald Trump get elected, yet even today Mr. Trump is refusing to accept that finding,” the letter states. “Separate from Mr. Trump’s own denials of Russian involvement in the election, the confirmed communication between Trump’s aides and those associated with the Russian election interference activity raise serious concerns that must be addressed before we cast our votes.”
Among the electors’ concerns are allegations that Russian government officials “maintained contact with the Trump campaign during the election,” reports of a propaganda operation to “sway American public opinion in favor of Ukraine’s pro-Putin government” and relationships between Trump associations and Russia President Vladimir Putin.
The electors also demand that Trump provide “conclusive evidence that he and his staff and advisors did not accept Russian interference, or otherwise collaborate during the campaign, and conclusive disavowal and repudiation of such collaboration and interference going forward.”
The letter is signed by Christine Pelosi, Michael Baca, Anita Bonds, Courtney Watson, Dudley Dudley, Bev Hollingworth, Terie Norelli, Carol Shea-Porter, Clay Pell and Chris Suprun.
