Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed any Senate investigation into Russian interference in the recent presidential election would focus on "just the facts," he told "CBS This Morning."
"We don't want to point a finger, and I don't want this to turn into a Benghazi investigation, which seemed at least to many people to be highly political," the incoming minority leader said. "This is serious stuff, when a foreign power tries to influence our election or damage our economy, for that matter. This is serious, and it's gotten worse. And a bipartisan investigation that's not aimed at one specific instance, but looks at the broad scope of this is just what's needed."
"You have the CIA saying one thing — I haven't gotten the briefings yet. The FBI is saying something else. We need to get to the bottom of this in a fair, nonpartisan, non-finger-pointing way."
Schumer's GOP opposite, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced Monday the Senate intelligence panel will investigate the reported Russian interference in the recent election, The Washington Post reported.
"The Russians are not our friends," the majority leader told reporters.
"This simply cannot be a partisan issue," McConnell added.
The Intelligence Committee "is more than capable of conducting a complete review of this matter."
The senator did not address a September briefing in which he reportedly dismissed assessments from the intelligence community that suggested Russia was attempting to influence the presidential election toward Donald Trump. Rather, he praised Republicans for standing up to Russia, and slammed President Barack Obama for allowing the spread of Russian influence.
"The Obama administration for eight years attempted to reset relations with Russia, and sat back while Russia expanded its sphere of influence and intervened in Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, Syria, and attempted to bully Baltic countries," he said. "It defies belief that somehow Republicans in the Senate are reluctant to either review Russian tactics or ignore them.
"I have the highest confidence in the intelligence community and especially the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA is filled with selfless patriots, many of whom anonymously risk their lives for the American people."
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