Obama chief of staff says Mitch McConnell single-handedly 'watered down' pre-election Russia warning


On Sunday's Meet the Press, host Chuck Todd asked Denis McDonough, former President Barack Obama's second-term chief of staff, about comments former Vice President Joe Biden made accusing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of preventing Obama from issuing a robust warning about Russian election interference in 2016 for political reasons. McDonough did not go as far as Biden had, but he said that McConnell, and only McConnell, had "dramatically watered down" a statement Obama had drafted to urge states to work with the feds to protect their election systems.
"The lack of urgency that we saw from the Republican leadership in 2016, we continue to see to this day," McDonough said. "It's beyond time for Congress to work with the administration, to work with the states, to ensure that our electoral systems are ready to go. This is not a game."
McConnell spokesman Don Stewart responded, "Give me a break," pointing to a Washington Post op-ed McDonough had written in July 2017 laying out why Obama had sought bipartisan imprimatur on the appeal to states and saying that while "this bipartisan outreach was harder and more time-consuming than it needed to be," it "was ultimately successful," convincing 33 states to use "Homeland Security tools to scan or strengthen their systems." McConnell had questioned the intelligence assessment that Russia was meddling in the election and insisted that references to Russia be changed to "malefactors," The New York Times reported last year.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What are 'freakosystems' and how are they affecting the planet?
The explainer Ecosystems are changing permanently
-
'The question is what it does for the ecosystem'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
August 26 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include a simple guide to gerrymandering, a MAGA-approved Cracker Barrel logo, and an FBI raid at John Bolton's house
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other cities
speed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by Trump
Speed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
Israel starts Gaza assault, approves West Bank plan
Speed Read Israel forces pushed into the outskirts of Gaza City and Netanyahu's government gave approval for a settlement to cut the occupied Palestinian territory in two
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutional
Speed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Feds seek harsh charges in DC arrests, except for rifles
Speed Read The DOJ said 465 arrests had been made in D.C. since Trump federalized law enforcement there two weeks ago