'There is a great, great deal of smoke': Senate Intel Committee holds first public hearing on Trump-Russia probe

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March 30, 2017 3:31 PM

The Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday held its first public hearing about its investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

WASHINGTON — The Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday held its first public hearing about its investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The hearing focused on Russia's hacking and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining Hillary Clinton and boosting President Donald Trump.

"As the intelligence community unanimously assessed in January of this year, Russia sought to hijack our most cherished democratic process: our presidential election," said As we'll learn today, Russia's strategy and tactics are not new, but their brazenness certainly was."

The hearing, titled testimony from

Warner said his hope is that "our witnesses today will help us understand how Russia deployed this deluge of disinformation in a broader attempt to undermine America's strength and leadership around the world."

Rumer replied that Rubio had "hit the nail on the head."

Rubio dropped somewhat of a bombshell when the hearing resumed after a brief recess, telling the committee

"A campaign manager, who played such a critical role in electing the President, was forced to step down over his alleged ties to Russia and its associates," Warner said. "And since the election, we have seen the President’s national security advisor resign — and his Attorney General recuse himself — over previously undisclosed contacts with the Russian government."

Stone told Business Insider earlier this month that he had a private conversation on Twitter with Guccifer 2.0, and that the interaction was so "brief and banal, I had forgotten it."

"Not exactly 007 stuff even if Gruccifer 2.0 [sic] was working for the Russkies," Stone said. "Meaningless."

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