Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., walked back some of his comments made last week, suggesting ties between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia, saying Wednesday he was not trying to lead to a "hyperventilating attitude" in the Senate, but he still believes the controversy remains serious and needs further investigation.
"I apologize for that," Coons told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade. "That's not what I was trying to do."
This week, the Senate Intelligence Committee is getting access to the raw intelligence and transcripts Coons referred to last Friday, when he said the information provides "very helpful critical insights into whether or not Russian intelligence and senior Russian political leaders, including Vladimir Putin were cooperating were colluding with the Trump campaign at the highest levels to influence the outcome of our election."
But he pointed out Wednesday he was also saying there is intelligence available that will provide insight into "whether or not there was some collusion between senior elements of the Trump campaign and Trump administration and Russian intelligence and Russian officials."
Coons said he was trying to point out that lawmakers need to get to the bottom of the controversy, and it is not about partisan politics.
"It's about defending our democracy," Coons said. " We had a hearing yesterday on the state and Foreign Subcommittee of Appropriations, a subcommittee critically responsible for our support for our NATO allies and democracy in western Europe. We have a joint Republican and Democrat speech on the floor later today about the importance of pushing back against Russian aggression."
Coons emphasized what he was talking about Friday was the matter of getting to the bottom of the story, and he called for a "thorough, fair,straightforward investigation where we get a report back in Congress about what Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence Committee have found after they have had a chance to review all the evidence. "
He also pushed back at comments from those who would accuse the National Security Council of being filled with partisans, as it has proven itself to be "full of career professionals who are providing the best support and analysis they can to the president."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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