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US-ELECTION-MEDDLING
White House plans to impose sanctions over foreign election meddling
WASHINGTON, Aug 9, 2018 (BSS/TASS) – The White House plans to impose
sanctions over foreign interference in US elections, The Washington Post
said.
According to the newspaper, “the White House is drafting an executive
order that would authorize President Trump to sanction foreigners who
interfere in US elections, the administration’s latest effort to demonstrate
it is serious about combating Russian disinformation and hacking.”
The Washington Post added that the US president would have the right to
impose sanctions on ten “of the 30 largest business entities in a country
whose government has interfered in an election.” However, “there has been no
evidence of a foreign power altering a single vote in a United States
election,” the newspaper wrote, citing the draft.
The FBI, as well as the intelligence committees of the US Senate and House
of Representatives, have been pursuing a probe into Russia’s alleged
interference in the 2016 US presidential election led by Special Counsel
Robert Mueller. In connection with the investigation, which has been going on
for more than a year, charges have been brought against several Russian
citizens, as well as against five Americans and one Dutch national. On July
13, US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced charges against
another 12 individuals who were said to be Russian intelligence officers.
US President Donald Trump and the key members of his team have been
repeatedly rejecting all the accusations concerning collusion between the
Trump campaign and Russia. Moscow has also been refuting these allegations.
On July 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated at a joint press
conference with his US counterpart Donald Trump that Moscow had not meddled
in election processes in the United States and was ready to cooperate with
Washington within a joint working group on cyber security.
BSS/TASS/FI/ 0852 hrs