Bipartisan group of senators calls for investigation of potential Russian election manipulation

Four senators from both sides of the aisle released a statement Sunday calling for a full investigation of the CIA's conclusion that Russia tried to manipulate the election to help President-elect Donald Trump win. The "recent reports of Russian interference in our election should alarm every American," said Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

"While protecting classified material, we have an obligation to inform the public about recent cyberattacks that have cut to the heart of our free society," they wrote, concluding, "This cannot become a partisan issue. The stakes are too high for our country."

Other senators echoed the quartet's concerns on Sunday. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) tweeted his support for their initiative, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on ABC News that an investigation is necessary. "It's a little premature to talk about responses until we know what happened," he cautioned. "But we should know what happened."

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Trump himself remains adamant the Russia rumors are "ridiculous" and an "excuse" to undermine his win.