CYBERWAR/RUSSIA/SANCTIONS/SENATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Faced with new evidence that Russian hackers are targeting conservative American research groups and the Senate’s own web pages, key lawmakers from both parties signaled on Tuesday [8-21-18] that they were ready to move forward with punishing new sanctions legislation capable of crippling the Russian economy. And in three separate hearings on Capitol Hill, senators prodded the Trump administration to do more with its existing authorities to deter Russia and protect American political infrastructure…Administration officials aggressively pushed back and argued that the current sanctions regime provided all the authority they need, and they dismissed concerns that President Trump’s equivocation on questions of Russian interference had harmed their efforts…The expulsions were part of a coordinated campaign by western allies to punish Russia for the nerve-gas poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter, not for election interference. And many of the sanctions came from legislation passed with veto-proof majorities in Congress and signed reluctantly by the president. But earlier on Tuesday, the Treasury Department did announce a new round of sanctions targeting ships delivering Russian oil to North Korea despite ongoing sanctions and marine companies that are supplying Russia’s military. Ms. Mandelker said to expect additional designations in the coming weeks.”
–Nicholas Fandos and Catie Edmondson, “Facing New Russian Hacking, Senators Signal They Are Ready to Act,” The New York Times online, August 21, 2018