Congressman Smith released the following statement in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:
“On January 16th, I joined in celebrating the life and the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. and honoring Dr. King’s dream of a nation where individuals are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
“While we have not yet achieved Dr. King’s full vision of equal rights and opportunities for every American, we have come a long way from when Dr. King spoke to our country from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As we continue our work to build a better future for all Americans, we must remember Dr. King’s message of transformative racial and economic justice. Dr. King’s legacy inspires us each to do our individual part to create broad-based opportunities for all and battle inequality throughout our society.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about the administration’s declaration of 500 additional nuclear weapons as excess to our defense needs:
“I am pleased that there is consensus from the administration and military commanders to declare 500 nuclear weapons as excess, reducing the number of active nuclear weapons to about 4,000. Unfortunately, however, I expect the House Republican majority to block our military commanders’ decision, as they did this past year. We still have many more nuclear weapons than would be needed to reliably destroy the world several times over and we should consider whether the threat of using nuclear weapons first remains appropriate and necessary. I remain very concerned about the President-elect’s recent incendiary and cavalier comments that we should expand our nuclear weapons capabilities, and his daring our adversaries to confront us in a nuclear arms race. Such a policy is dangerous and would unnecessarily increase the risks of nuclear war.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about the intelligence community’s declassified report confirming a Russian plot to intervene in the 2016 election:
“This intelligence report lays out carefully, in stark detail, how President Putin directed his military intelligence, hackers, and propagandists to intervene in the election to help Donald Trump. Putin did this as part of an unprecedentedly bold campaign to discredit American values, weaken our support for our allies, dismantle the liberal world order, and, by all appearances, attempt to render the world safe for autocracy. The report also warns that Putin will keep trying to intervene in our elections and those of our allies. We must push back persistently and effectively to make clear, going forward, that there will be further consequences if this belligerent behavior continues.
“It is highly irresponsible to dismiss these findings and call for a closer relationship with Russia in the same breath. Doing so suggests a disregard for the very real threat they pose to ourselves and the future of democracy worldwide.
“What’s more, in light of this information, nominating a national security adviser who has been paid to appear on Russia’s state-supported propaganda network, as well as a secretary of state who has received the Russian Order of Friendship and wants to lift sanctions on Russia, looks like a reward to Putin for his efforts. That is precisely the wrong message for us to be sending.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about reports that the House and Senate Republican leadership have refused calls for an independent investigation or special committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election:
“It is disturbing that the Republican leadership in both houses of Congress is refusing to allow a special committee or independent investigation of Russian involvement in the election, in order to provide cover for Donald Trump. This critical national security issue rises above party. We should be committed to comprehensively investigating what happened and to following the facts wherever they lead.”
Prior to the election of Donald Trump, Presidents have historically removed themselves from business dealings to avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest. President-elect Trump’s lack of concern for real or perceived conflicts of interest through the business he inherited is unprecedented and deeply troubling. Following his election, Donald Trump said he would separate himself from his business. He has failed to do so. His decision has raised immediate ethical and legal issues that will only serve to distract from his responsibilities as the President of the United States.
Our country deserves to know how the President-elect will handle his business conflicts. Unfortunately, because the President-elect has not released his taxes, as promised, we don’t fully know the extent to which his business dealings could impact his Presidency. By choosing to postpone a Press Conference originally planned for December 15th, the President-elect has shown he is unwilling to face very legitimate questions about how he will lead our country without the danger posed by conflicts of interest.
Before his inauguration, Trump must prove his commitment to transparency, and explain how he plans to completely separate himself from his business dealings. Trump has assured the American people that he will cut ties with his businesses because ‘the Presidency is a far more important task,’ and I plan to do everything that I can to hold him to that promise.”
Washington, DC – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA), and House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) released the following joint statement in response to news reports about intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 election, and comments by the House Republican leadership downplaying the need for a thorough investigation:
“All Americans should be deeply concerned by the reports that Russian agencies have interfered with a U.S. election. As Speaker Ryan noted, ‘any foreign intervention in our elections is entirely unacceptable.’
“The first duty of the United States government is to safeguard the American people and the integrity of our free society from attacks by foreign adversaries. Cyberattacks on our political institutions are direct threats to their integrity and are just as menacing as attacks on our economic, physical, and military infrastructure.
“Given the gravity of these unprecedented attacks by a foreign state, we need a congressional investigation that is truly bipartisan, that is comprehensive, that will not be restricted by jurisdictional lines, and that will give the American people a complete and full accounting of what happened consistent with safeguarding our national security.”
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith made the following statement about President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State:
“In nominating ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, the President-elect has chosen an individual whose company opposed efforts to sanction Russia while also receiving an award from Russian President Vladimir Putin. This nomination raises critical questions about the manner in which the President-elect intends to lead our nation. As the President-elect formulates policy and considers nominees for positions in his Administration, it is critical that the fundamental standards of our system of government are met and respected. The incoming Administration and those who serve it must demonstrate an absolute commitment to the highest ethical standards, pose no real or perceived conflicts of interest, be completely transparent and open on their prior, current, and possible future dealings.
“The next Secretary of State should be tasked with leading the interagency on a cohesive, thoughtful foreign policy that advances our national security. Given Tillerson’s expansive potential for conflicts of interest, I am encouraged to see that a growing number of Senators with national security expertise have also expressed concerns with the nomination. There must be a full bi-partisan review and vetting of the President-elect’s nominees by the U.S. Senate.”
Washington, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement on the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor:
“On December 7th, we commemorate the heroism and sacrifice of the more than 2,400 Americans who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor. We will never forget them or their deeds, nor those of the millions more who fought to defeat fascism and forge a new international order that helped to secure peace around the globe. It is our profound duty to continue honoring them, by providing for our veterans and ensuring that we care for our men in women and uniform second to none.”
Washington, DC – Today, Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel, Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, and Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff sent a letter to President Obama asking for Administration officials to brief all Members of Congress on Russian efforts to influence or interfere in the recent federal election.
Citing concerns that “Russia may have succeeded in weakening Americans’ trust” in our democratic institutions through its actions, the authors of the letter call attention to the hacking of American organizations, publication of private emails sent to or from campaign officials, as well as disclosures by WikiLeaks and fabricated news stories.
“By eroding Americans’ and foreigners’ trust in U.S. institutions,” the letter states, “Russia both weakens our country and sows global instability and uncertainty. …To evaluate Congress’s response appropriately, we would like all Members to have a comprehensive understanding of what the U.S. Intelligence Community knows regarding Russia’s involvement in these actions and attempts to interfere in our election.”
The full text of the letter can be read below.
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Dear Mr. President:
We are deeply concerned by Russian efforts to undermine, interfere with, and even influence the outcome of our recent election. This Russian malfeasance is not confined to us, but extends to our allies, our alliances and to democratic institutions around the world.
The integrity of democracy must never be in question, and we are gravely concerned that Russia may have succeeded in weakening Americans’ trust in our electoral institutions through their cyber activity, which may also include sponsoring disclosures through WikiLeaks and other venues, and the production and distribution of fake news stories.
Foreign interference presents a win-win for Russia—which we must counter. By eroding Americans’ and foreigners’ trust in U.S. institutions, Russia both weakens our country and sows global instability and uncertainty. Both present a boon for Russia and a loss for those working to maintain peace and prosperity around the world through the leadership of the United States and its allies.
To evaluate Congress’s response appropriately, we would like all Members to have a comprehensive understanding of what the U.S. Intelligence Community knows regarding Russia’s involvement in these actions and attempts to interfere in our election. Specifically, we are requesting a classified briefing that will provide details regarding Russian entities’ hacking of American political organizations; hacking and strategic release of emails from campaign officials; the WikiLeaks disclosures; fake news stories produced and distributed with the intent to mislead American voters; and any other Russian or Russian-related interference or involvement in our recent election.
We thank you for your attention to this matter.
STENY H. HOYER
Democratic Whip
JOHN CONYERS
Ranking Member, Committee on Judiciary
ELIOT ENGEL
Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
BENNIE G. THOMPSON
Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security
ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS
Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
ADAM SMITH
Ranking Member, Committee on Armed Services
ADAM SCHIFF
Ranking Member, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith made the following statement regarding the appointment of Lt. General Michael Flynn:
“I have grave concerns about the judgment of Lt. General Michael Flynn. He has regularly engaged in the reckless public promotion of conspiracy theories that have no basis in fact, with disregard for the risks that giving credence to those theories could pose to the public. The National Security Adviser is responsible for filtering and assessing crucial information pertaining to the national defense. Someone who is so oblivious to the facts, or intentionally ignorant of them, should not be entrusted with policy decisions that affect the safety of the American people.
“Lt. General Michael Flynn’s name should be removed from the position President-elect Trump has appointed him to. His recent statements make it unquestionably clear that he has become unhinged from reality. If the President-elect cares at all about the future of our national security, I suggest that he appoint another person to this critical administration position.”