DHS/ELECTION/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Attempted Russian interference in US public affairs has continued as Department of Homeland Security officials and senior leaders have alerted the White House about the risks ahead of the 2020 presidential election — but it was ‘like pulling teeth’ to get the White House to pay attention, a US government official told CNN Wednesday [4-24-19]. One reason for the difficulty, according to the official, is that ‘in general, senior White House staff felt it wasn’t a good idea to bring up issues related to Russia in front of the President’…The official noted that there have been one or two principals’ meetings before the midterm elections, as well as a press conference in which national security adviser John Bolton, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, FBI Director Christopher Wray and National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone warned the public of election interference. The government official said DHS and other agencies made repeated requests to set up more Cabinet-level meetings on the subject and Bolton’s National Security Council rebuffed the requests.”
–Jake Tapper and Jim Acosta, “’Like pulling teeth’ to get White House to focus on Russian election interference, official says,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, April 24, 2019 7:36 pm