Electors Will Not Receive Intelligence Briefing Ahead of Monday's Vote

Leah Barkoukis | December 17, 2016 6:41 PM

Voters in the Electoral College will not be receiving an intelligence briefing about Russian interference in the presidential election, despite more than 50 Democratic electors demanding one, according to NPR.

#Breaking: Sources tell NPR's @NPRKelly that electors in the Electoral College will not receive an intelligence briefing.
— NPR (@NPR) December 16, 2016

“Separate from Mr. Trump’s own denials of Russian involvement in the election, the confirmed communication between Trump’s aides and those associated with the Russian election interference activity raise serious concerns that must be addressed before we cast our votes,” the electors wrote in a letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

The request for more information before electors cast their votes on Monday was organized by Christine Pelosi, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s daughter.

Only one Republican, Texas’ Chris Suprun, joined 53 Democrats in signing the letter.

Suprun has already pledged not to vote for Trump and claimed last week that other GOP electors plan to pick an alternative too. Faithless electors, though, are a rare occurrence in the Electoral College and the overwhelming majority of Republicans are expected to back Trump.

The electors' letter came after reports that the CIA concluded that Russian hackers were trying to help Trump win the election. On Friday, the FBI also said it backed the CIA's conclusions on Russian interference.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign had also applauded the electors' call for a briefing.

“Despite our protestations, this matter did not receive the attention it deserved by the media in the campaign,” Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement Monday about Russian interference. “We now know the CIA has determined Russia’s interference in our election was for the purpose of electing Donald Trump. This should distress every American.”