President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general continued efforts to distance himself from the president Tuesday as he testified before Senators at his confirmation hearing.

Under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee, William Barr said he would not "not carry out" any order to fire special counsel Robert Mueller without cause.

The comments were in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Mueller's team is examining potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Barr said repeatedly Tuesday he wants Mueller to finish the investigation.

Trump's nominee was also asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a friend or a foe to the United States.

Barr said while Russia is a "potent rival" of the U.S. with foreign policy objectives "usually at direct contrary," he minimized the threat from Moscow and said China, not Russia is the "primary rival" of the United States.

Throughout his testimony, Barr acknowledged Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 election but said Russia "is half the size it was was" during the Cold War with an economy nowhere near the size of China's.

And he said he's concerned "that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

On a separate topic, Barr told the committee he can't rule out jailing reporters for doing their jobs.

In  response to a question from Sen. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, Barr said that there are certain situations where a reporter could be held in contempt "as a last resort."

Barr said the situations he was envisioning would involve news organizations "putting out stuff that is hurting the country."

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Wide shot of William Barr sitting before the Senate Judiciary Committee as it returns from break

2. Wide cutaway of committee

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, Democrat, Delaware:

"So most famously when directed by President Nixon to fire the special counsel the prosecutor investigating Watergate, Richardson refused and resigned instead as we all well know. If the president directed you to change those regulations and then fire Mueller or simply directly fire Mueller, would you follow Richardson's example and resign instead?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Assuming there was no good cause?

(Coons: Assuming no good cause.)

I would not carry out that instruction."

5. Cutaway of Coons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"As I said, I'm going to carry out those regulations and I want him to finish this investigation."

7. Wide shot of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Well I don't hold myself out as a foreign policy expert but I think that he is, I think the Russians are a potent rival of our country and his foreign policy objectives are usually at directly contrary to our goals. I think he wants to weaken the American alliances in Europe and he also wants to become a player in the Middle East, more of a player in the Middle East. A lot of his foreign policy objectives are are at odds with ours. At the same time, I think the primary rival of the United States is China. I think, you know, Russia is half the size it was when we were facing them at the peak of the Cold War. Their economy is, long term prognosis, is nowhere near China's. But I'm concerned that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat, Minnesota:

"If you're confirmed, will the Justice Department jail reporters for doing their jobs?"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I think that, you know, there are guidelines in place and I can conceive of situations where you know, as a last resort and where a news organization has run through a red flag or something like that, knows that they're putting out stuff that will hurt the country, there might be, there could be a situation where someone would be held in contempt."

12. Wide shot of hearing

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general continued efforts to distance himself from the president Tuesday as he testified before Senators at his confirmation hearing.

Under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee, William Barr said he would not "not carry out" any order to fire special counsel Robert Mueller without cause.

The comments were in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Mueller's team is examining potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Barr said repeatedly Tuesday he wants Mueller to finish the investigation.

Trump's nominee was also asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a friend or a foe to the United States.

Barr said while Russia is a "potent rival" of the U.S. with foreign policy objectives "usually at direct contrary," he minimized the threat from Moscow and said China, not Russia is the "primary rival" of the United States.

Throughout his testimony, Barr acknowledged Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 election but said Russia "is half the size it was was" during the Cold War with an economy nowhere near the size of China's.

And he said he's concerned "that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

On a separate topic, Barr told the committee he can't rule out jailing reporters for doing their jobs.

In  response to a question from Sen. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, Barr said that there are certain situations where a reporter could be held in contempt "as a last resort."

Barr said the situations he was envisioning would involve news organizations "putting out stuff that is hurting the country."

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Wide shot of William Barr sitting before the Senate Judiciary Committee as it returns from break

2. Wide cutaway of committee

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, Democrat, Delaware:

"So most famously when directed by President Nixon to fire the special counsel the prosecutor investigating Watergate, Richardson refused and resigned instead as we all well know. If the president directed you to change those regulations and then fire Mueller or simply directly fire Mueller, would you follow Richardson's example and resign instead?"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Assuming there was no good cause?

(Coons: Assuming no good cause.)

I would not carry out that instruction."

5. Cutaway of Coons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"As I said, I'm going to carry out those regulations and I want him to finish this investigation."

7. Wide shot of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Well I don't hold myself out as a foreign policy expert but I think that he is, I think the Russians are a potent rival of our country and his foreign policy objectives are usually at directly contrary to our goals. I think he wants to weaken the American alliances in Europe and he also wants to become a player in the Middle East, more of a player in the Middle East. A lot of his foreign policy objectives are are at odds with ours. At the same time, I think the primary rival of the United States is China. I think, you know, Russia is half the size it was when we were facing them at the peak of the Cold War. Their economy is, long term prognosis, is nowhere near China's. But I'm concerned that the fixation on Russia not obscure the danger from China."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat, Minnesota:

"If you're confirmed, will the Justice Department jail reporters for doing their jobs?"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I think that, you know, there are guidelines in place and I can conceive of situations where you know, as a last resort and where a news organization has run through a red flag or something like that, knows that they're putting out stuff that will hurt the country, there might be, there could be a situation where someone would be held in contempt."

12. Wide shot of hearing

President Donald Trump's assertion that he would be open to accepting a foreign power's help in his 2020 campaign ricocheted through Washington on Thursday, with Democrats condemning it as a call for further election interference and Republicans struggling to defend his comments.

Trump seemed to dismiss the threat posed by Russia's interference in the 2016 election, one that led to sweeping indictments by special counsel Robert Mueller, and his incendiary remarks come as congressional investigations into the meddling have quickened.

Associated Press Washington bureau chief Julie Pace says the questions that arised from the Mueller probe make "it even more stunning that (Trump) would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent."

"The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election," Pace says.

Special counsel Robert Mueller painstakingly documented Russian efforts to boost Trump's campaign and undermine that of his Democratic rival.

But while Mueller's investigation didn't establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign, Trump repeatedly praised WikiLeaks in 2016 and at one point implored hackers to dig up dirt on Hillary Clinton.

The role of Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., in organizing a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer offering negative information on Clinton was a focus of Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the last presidential campaign.

"Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer," Pace says. "They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent."

While Democrats have been quick to condemn the president's comments, Republicans have been noticeably muted on the issue.

Pace says the Republican party "is Trump's party and there's really no way around that."

"If they break from him too significantly, too publicly on any issue really, that puts their own standing at jeopardy and there they're very cognizant of that and they're really letting that drive a lot of their decision making," she adds.

POOL

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland - 11 June 2019

1. President Trump walking across tarmac at Joint Base Andrews toward Air Force One

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"One of the questions that shadowed President Trump from the start of his tenure has been this question about whether he got or sought information from the Russian government during the 2016 presidential campaign. And so that makes it even more stunning that he would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent. This is something that really is pretty eyebrow raising because it goes to the question of foreign interference in American elections. Is it appropriate for a foreign government to work essentially with a president or presidential candidate to try to sway the outcome of an election? And that could just be as simple as a foreign government knowing something maybe through their own intelligence efforts, through sources that they have, that could be damaging to an American candidate. And where is the line there? The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election."

US POOL

ARCHIVE - Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

3. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE - Columbus Ohio - 2 October 2012

4. Various shots of people voting early for the 2012 presidential race

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"I think Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent. We know that that meeting didn't actually result in much but it it didn't factor into their thinking at the time that this is something that could be problematic, that we should potentially alert the FBI the government to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - Recent

6. Various shots of Trump Tower

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

7. STILL photo of President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"We don't know, you know, every interaction that presidents certainly have had with foreign governments. It's hard to imagine the situation has never come up before but it's almost the fact that Trump is embracing it so willingly that is really the distinguishing factor here."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 11 June 2019

9. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaking in Capitol alongside Republican Senate leaders

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"Republican reaction will be really interesting here. They've been muted, so far, about this. But certainly one of the things that the Democrats say, and this is true, is that right now we're dealing with a situation where you've had a foreign government, Russia, that was trying to help a Republican president. We have a Republican president in office right now if he's going to be getting information from governments, it's again to help him. But that doesn't necessarily mean that's the only way that this dynamic could go. It's certainly very plausible that you could have a foreign government that wants to help a Democrat. So Democrats are trying to encourage Republicans to think about this, not through the prism of Trump and Trump's re-election prospects, but broadly. You know, do we want foreign governments to be playing a role in trying to sway American elections? We just haven't heard a lot of that from Republicans lately."

POOL

Council Bluffs, Iowa - 11 June 2019

11. President Trump walks on stage to speak in Iowa

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"The Republican Party is Trump's party and there's really no way around that. He has an incredibly high approval rating with Republican base voters. Most of these Republican lawmakers, with very few exceptions, know that their own re-election prospects are really tied to Trump's. And if they break from him too significantly, too publicly on any issue really, that puts their own standing at jeopardy and there they're very cognizant of that and they're really letting that drive a lot of their decision making."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE -  Columbus, Ohio - 2 October 2012

13. Shot of a flag flying outside a voting precinct

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - Recent

14. Rack focus shot of the U.S. Capitol

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus118696

President Donald Trump's assertion that he would be open to accepting a foreign power's help in his 2020 campaign ricocheted through Washington on Thursday, with Democrats condemning it as a call for further election interference and Republicans struggling to defend his comments.

Trump seemed to dismiss the threat posed by Russia's interference in the 2016 election, one that led to sweeping indictments by special counsel Robert Mueller, and his incendiary remarks come as congressional investigations into the meddling have quickened.

Associated Press Washington bureau chief Julie Pace says the questions that arised from the Mueller probe make "it even more stunning that (Trump) would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent."

"The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election," Pace says.

Special counsel Robert Mueller painstakingly documented Russian efforts to boost Trump's campaign and undermine that of his Democratic rival.

But while Mueller's investigation didn't establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign, Trump repeatedly praised WikiLeaks in 2016 and at one point implored hackers to dig up dirt on Hillary Clinton.

The role of Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., in organizing a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer offering negative information on Clinton was a focus of Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the last presidential campaign.

"Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer," Pace says. "They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent."

While Democrats have been quick to condemn the president's comments, Republicans have been noticeably muted on the issue.

Pace says the Republican party "is Trump's party and there's really no way around that."

"If they break from him too significantly, too publicly on any issue really, that puts their own standing at jeopardy and there they're very cognizant of that and they're really letting that drive a lot of their decision making," she adds.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"One of the questions that shadowed President Trump from the start of his tenure has been this question about whether he got or sought information from the Russian government during the 2016 presidential campaign. And so that makes it even more stunning that he would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent. This is something that really is pretty eyebrow raising because it goes to the question of foreign interference in American elections. Is it appropriate for a foreign government to work essentially with a president or presidential candidate to try to sway the outcome of an election? And that could just be as simple as a foreign government knowing something maybe through their own intelligence efforts, through sources that they have, that could be damaging to an American candidate. And where is the line there? The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election."

US POOL

ARCHIVE - Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

2. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

POOL

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland - 11 June 2019

3. President Trump walking across tarmac at Joint Base Andrews toward Air Force One

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE - Columbus Ohio - 2 October 2012

4. Various shots of people voting early for the 2012 presidential race

POOL

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland - 11 June 2019

5. President Trump boarding Air Force One

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"I think Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent. We know that that meeting didn't actually result in much but it it didn't factor into their thinking at the time that this is something that could be problematic, that we should potentially alert the FBI the government to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - Recent

7. Various shots of Trump Tower

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

8. STILL photo of President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"We don't know, you know, every interaction that presidents certainly have had with foreign governments. It's hard to imagine the situation has never come up before but it's almost the fact that Trump is embracing it so willingly that is really the distinguishing factor here."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 11 June 2019

10. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaking in Capitol alongside Republican Senate leaders

POOL

Council Bluffs, Iowa - 11 June 2019

11. President Trump walks on stage to speak in Iowa

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"Republican reaction will be really interesting here. They've been muted so far about this. But certainly one of the things that the Democrats say, and this is true, is that right now we're dealing with a situation where you've had a foreign government, Russia, that was trying to help a Republican president. We have a Republican president in office right now if he's going to be getting information from governments, it's again to help him. But that doesn't necessarily mean that's the only way that this dynamic could go. It's certainly very plausible that you could have a foreign government that wants to help a Democrat. So Democrats are trying to encourage Republicans to think about this not through the prism of Trump and Trump's re-election prospects but broadly. You know, do we want foreign governments to be playing a role in trying to sway American elections? We just haven't heard a lot of that from Republicans lately."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE -  Columbus, Ohio - 2 October 2012

13. Shot of a flag flying outside a voting precinct

14. People voting

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - Recent

15. Rack focus shot of the U.S. Capitol

President Donald Trump's assertion that he would be open to accepting a foreign power's help in his 2020 campaign ricocheted through Washington on Thursday, with Democrats condemning it as a call for further election interference and Republicans struggling to defend his comments.

Trump seemed to dismiss the threat posed by Russia's interference in the 2016 election, one that led to sweeping indictments by special counsel Robert Mueller, and his incendiary remarks come as congressional investigations into the meddling have quickened.

Associated Press Washington bureau chief Julie Pace says the questions that arised from the Mueller probe make "it even more stunning that (Trump) would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent."

"The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election," Pace says.

Special counsel Robert Mueller painstakingly documented Russian efforts to boost Trump's campaign and undermine that of his Democratic rival.

But while Mueller's investigation didn't establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign, Trump repeatedly praised WikiLeaks in 2016 and at one point implored hackers to dig up dirt on Hillary Clinton.

The role of Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., in organizing a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer offering negative information on Clinton was a focus of Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the last presidential campaign.

"Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer," Pace says. "They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent."

While Democrats have been quick to condemn the president's comments, Republicans have been noticeably muted on the issue.

Pace says the Republican party "is Trump's party and there's really no way around that."

"If they break from him too significantly, too publicly on any issue really, that puts their own standing at jeopardy and there they're very cognizant of that and they're really letting that drive a lot of their decision making," she adds.

POOL

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland - 11 June 2019

1. President Trump walking across tarmac at Joint Base Andrews toward Air Force One

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"One of the questions that shadowed President Trump from the start of his tenure has been this question about whether he got or sought information from the Russian government during the 2016 presidential campaign. And so that makes it even more stunning that he would come out and say that he would generally be OK with a foreign government giving him dirt on a political opponent. This is something that really is pretty eyebrow raising because it goes to the question of foreign interference in American elections. Is it appropriate for a foreign government to work essentially with a president or presidential candidate to try to sway the outcome of an election? And that could just be as simple as a foreign government knowing something maybe through their own intelligence efforts, through sources that they have, that could be damaging to an American candidate. And where is the line there? The president seems to think that there really isn't a line that it's that it's fair game for him to interact with a foreign government and use something that they might they might have on his political opponent in the course of an election."

US POOL

ARCHIVE - Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

3. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE - Columbus Ohio - 2 October 2012

4. Various shots of people voting early for the 2012 presidential race

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"I think Trump's comments really underscore why the Trump campaign was so comfortable taking this meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. They didn't see anything wrong with the idea of a Russian lawyer coming into Trump Tower and saying I've got some political dirt on your opponent. We know that that meeting didn't actually result in much but it it didn't factor into their thinking at the time that this is something that could be problematic, that we should potentially alert the FBI the government to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - Recent

6. Various shots of Trump Tower

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hamburg, Germany - 7 July 2017

7. STILL photo of President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting at the G-20 Summit

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"We don't know, you know, every interaction that presidents certainly have had with foreign governments. It's hard to imagine the situation has never come up before but it's almost the fact that Trump is embracing it so willingly that is really the distinguishing factor here."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 11 June 2019

9. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaking in Capitol alongside Republican Senate leaders

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"Republican reaction will be really interesting here. They've been muted, so far, about this. But certainly one of the things that the Democrats say, and this is true, is that right now we're dealing with a situation where you've had a foreign government, Russia, that was trying to help a Republican president. We have a Republican president in office right now if he's going to be getting information from governments, it's again to help him. But that doesn't necessarily mean that's the only way that this dynamic could go. It's certainly very plausible that you could have a foreign government that wants to help a Democrat. So Democrats are trying to encourage Republicans to think about this, not through the prism of Trump and Trump's re-election prospects, but broadly. You know, do we want foreign governments to be playing a role in trying to sway American elections? We just haven't heard a lot of that from Republicans lately."

POOL

Council Bluffs, Iowa - 11 June 2019

11. President Trump walks on stage to speak in Iowa

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - 13 June 2019

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Pace, AP Washington Bureau Chief:

"The Republican Party is Trump's party and there's really no way around that. He has an incredibly high approval rating with Republican base voters. Most of these Republican lawmakers, with very few exceptions, know that their own re-election prospects are really tied to Trump's. And if they break from him too significantly, too publicly on any issue really, that puts their own standing at jeopardy and there they're very cognizant of that and they're really letting that drive a lot of their decision making."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE -  Columbus, Ohio - 2 October 2012

13. Shot of a flag flying outside a voting precinct

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, DC - Recent

14. Rack focus shot of the U.S. Capitol

On March 5th 2018 the British media reported that the Zizi restaurant in Salisbury had been closed as a precaution in connection with an incident in which 66-year-old former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was left critically ill by exposure to an unknown substance.

The media is quoting Wiltshire Police.

Skripal, 66, who was convicted in Russia on charges of spying for Britain and sentenced in 2006 to 13 years in prison.

He was freed in 2010 as part of a US-Russian spy swap.

The discovery of the two people led to a dramatic decontamination effort.

Crews in billowing yellow moon suits worked into the night spraying down the street, and the Salisbury hospital's emergency room was closed.

***

There was a heavy police presence on March 6th near a shopping mall in a town in southern England where a former Russian spy was found after ,it is said, he suffered exposure to an "unknown substance".

The Kremlin said Russia has not been approached to help in an investigation over how and why the former spy was found critically ill on a bench near Maltings Shopping Centre in Salisbury.

A woman was also found unconscious on March 4th in Salisbury, about 90 miles (145 kilometres) west of London.

Dimitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, said March 6th that there has been no request for help but that "Moscow is always ready to cooperate."

***

On March 7th ambulances and emergency vehicles rushed to central Salisbury in England amid jitters following the collapse of a former Russian spy and his daughter there.

An eyewitness says emergency services escorted two women on March 7th from a building near a restaurant that had been cordoned off by police searching for clues as to what prompted Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia to fall ill on March 4th.

Police and ambulance services declined to comment and it was not immediately clear if the incident had anything to do with the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile British counter-terror police cordoned off a new site in the case of the former Russian spy and his daughter.

London's Metropolitan Police secured Solstice Park, a business park in Amesbury near Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument and world heritage site.

Amesbury is about nine miles (14 kilometres) from Salisbury, where Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found collapsed on a bench on March 4th.

Lloyd Ridley, who works nearby as a mechanic, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that some 40 firemen stood outside as the area was cordoned off, adding there were four people "dressed up in hazmats going inside and retrieving stuff in these boxes and putting them outside in the cornered area."

British counterterrorism specialists have taken control of the case from local police trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to the pair.

The matter has not been declared a terrorist incident.

Police are also asking members of the public to come forward if they had visited a Salisbury pizza restaurant or pub where the couple were last seen on March 4th.

***

Britain's armed forces arrived in Salisbury on March 9th to help police investigate the nerve-agent poisoning of a former spy.

Counterterrorism detectives asked for military help to remove vehicles and objects from a number of scenes related to March 4th's attack.

In a statement on the deployment, the defence secretary said the armed forces had the "right people with the right skills" to assist in the investigation.

More than 100 personnel from the Royal Marines, the RAF and chemical teams are said to have been sent to Salisbury.

***

A large-scale investigation continued on March 11th in Salisbury as forensics experts wearing protective gear searched for clues after a Russian ex-spy and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve agent.

Authorities said earlier that small traces of contamination have been found in a restaurant and a pub in the English city of Salisbury.

Hospital officials in Salisbury also said there is no evidence of a wider risk beyond the three people hospitalized since the March 4th attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Ex-spy Skripal and his daughter Yulia reportedly ate at a Zizzi restaurant before falling critically ill.

A British police detective is also hospitalized in serious condition.

Among the sites they are searching are the Zizzi restaurant, which is closed to the public, and the gravesites where Skripal's wife and son are buried.

Skripal's house has also been extensively searched for clues and traces of the nerve agent.

Authorities haven't revealed how or where the Skripals were exposed to the nerve agent. It's not known if it happened in a restaurant, a pub, Skripal's house or elsewhere.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said on March 10th it is still "too early" to determine who is to blame for the attack.

Senior government officials have vowed to respond robustly if the Russian government is found to be responsible.

Rudd said more than 250 counterterrorism officers are on the scene evaluating more than 240 pieces of evidence and interviewing about 200 witnesses.

They are backed by roughly 180 military personnel providing logistical support, including the removal of ambulances feared to possibly be contaminated by the nerve agent.

***

Russia will only cooperate with Britain on the investigation into March 4th's poisoning of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter if it receives samples of the nerve agent that is believed to have been used, Russia's foreign minister said March 13th.

Sergey Lavrov spoke in response to the British government's demand for an explanation of the use of a military-grade nerve agent produced in Russia in the attack in the English city of Salisbury.

Lavrov told reporters on March 13th Moscow's requests to see samples of the nerve agent have been turned down, which he called a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which outlaws the production of chemical weapons. He insisted that Russia is "not to blame" for the poisoning.

He said Moscow is willing to cooperate with the probe but suggested that London would be "better off" complying with its international obligations "before putting forward ultimatums."

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Russia's involvement is "highly likely" and delivered a March 13th deadline for a Russian response.

Officials said March 13thPrime Minister Theresa May is reviewing a range of economic and diplomatic measures in retaliation for the assault with a military-grade nerve agent.

The poisoning left 66-year-old Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia in critical condition.

***

British Home Secretary Amber Rudd chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee on March 13th to discuss the response to the recent poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter.

Rudd reiterated Prime Minister Theresa May's deadline of midnight on March 13th for Moscow to explain how the Russian-made nerve agent Novichok came to be used on British soil.

Rudd said that until that response she would not be commenting on what action the UK would be taking against Russia.

Authorities say the pair were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent and that Russia is "highly likely" to be behind it.

May is demanding an explanation.

***

British counterterrorism police on March 13th took charge of the investigation into the death in London of a Russian businessman because he was connected to a prominent Kremlin foe.

The death of Nikolai Glushkov, confirmed by his lawyer in Russia, came a week after former spy Sergei Skripal was left critically ill from nerve agent poisoning in the city of Salisbury.

Police said there was no evidence to suggest a link to the March 4th poisoning of Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Attorney Andrei Borovkov told Russian media outlets that Glushkov had died, but said he was unaware of the time and circumstances. Reports in British and Russian media said Glushkov, who was in his late 60s, was found dead at his home in southwest London.

London's Metropolitan Police force said it was investigating the unexplained death of a man found at a house in the New Malden area late March 12th. It didn't release his name, saying formal identification had yet to take place.

Police said counterterrorism detectives are leading the investigation "as a precaution because of associations that the man is believed to have had."

Glushkov was an associate of Boris Berezovsky, a Russian oligarch and Kremlin critic who died in London in 2013. An inquest failed to determine whether he had killed himself or died from foul play.

Glushkov told The Guardian newspaper in 2013 he didn't believe Berezovsky's death was suicide. "I'm definite Boris was killed," he said.

Glushkov was arrested in 1999 and put on trial for embezzling 7 million US dollars from Aeroflot.

In 2004, he was sentenced to three years and three months in prison, but released because of time served before and during his trial.

Russian media reported that Glushkov was granted political asylum in Britain in 2010.

***

On March 15th President Donald Trump pointed the finger at Russia in the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Great Britain, saying he had spoken with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

During a meeting with Ireland's prime minister in the Oval Office, Trump said it's something "that should never, ever happen."

March 15th, the U.S. joined the Britain, France and Germany in a joint statement blaming Moscow for the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy who was living in England.

The list of Russians now under sanction includes the 13 indicted in February by U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his Russia-related investigation into alleged election interference.

Altogether, 19 Russians were cited. Also sanctioned were five Russian companies, including the Internet Research Agency, which is accused of orchestrating a mass online disinformation campaign to affect the presidential election result.

The Treasury Department announced the sanctions amid withering criticism of Trump and his administration for failing to use its congressionally mandated authority to punish Russia. Trump himself has been skeptical of the election accusations.

The sanctions are the first use of the new powers that Congress passed last year to punish Moscow for meddling in an election that Republican Donald Trump won over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The accusations and accompanying sanctions are some of the strongest actions to date by the administration to punish Russia for hacking and other efforts to sow discord in the American democracy.

The Trump administration is also accusing Russia on March 15th of a concerted, ongoing operation to hack and spy on the U.S. energy grid and other critical infrastructure, and separately imposed sanctions on Russian officials for alleged high-tech interference in the 2016 American presidential election.

U.S. national security officials said the FBI, the Homeland Security Department and American intelligence agencies determined that Russian intelligence and others were behind the attacks on the energy sector.

The officials said the Russians deliberately chose U.S. energy industry targets, obtaining access to computer systems and then conducting "network reconnaissance" of industrial control systems that run American factories and the electricity grid.

The U.S. government has helped energy businesses kick out the Russians from all systems currently known to have been penetrated, according to the officials.

The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security information, left open the possibility of discovering more breaches, and said the federal government was issuing an alert to the energy industry to raise awareness about the threat and improve preparation.

***

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on March 19th that Russia had the "capability", motive and intent" to poison a Russian ex-spy and his daughter and that the attack was "part of a pattern of behaviour by Russia across Europe".

Britain has accused Russia of using a military-grade nerve agent to poison former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who have been in critical condition for two weeks.

Britain has announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, and Russia has responded in kind.

Asked to comment on weekend newspaper reports about the possible exhumation of Russians who died in the UK in suspicious circumstances, May said that would be a matter for the police.

She said the focus of the investigation at this stage was on the Skripals' case.

May added that officials from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons were expected to arrive in the UK on March 19th and would discuss with police taking samples of the nerve agent in order to conduct an independent verification.

British police have contacted other Russian exiles in the last few days to discuss their safety in light of the recent attacks.

The Kremlin says Britain will eventually have to offer proof to back up its claim of Russia's involvement in the poisoning or apologise.

00:00:00

UK restaurant closed after former Russian spy exposed to unknown substance

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Salisbury - 5 March 2018

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Various of restaurant exteriors

00:07:14

Police cordon off area where former Russian spy was taken ill

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Salisbury - 6 March 2018

2. Bench believed to be where Skripal was found unconscious, police cordon

3. Media near Maltings Shopping Centre

4. Police outside Skripal's home in Salisbury

00:21:04

Latest from scene of "poisoning"; graves of Skripal relatives

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Salisbury - 7 March 2018

5. Tent covering bench where former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia were taken ill

6. Gravestone of the wife of Sergei Skripal, flowers

00:28:24

Troops at hospital in Salisbury where poison victims treated

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Salisbury - 9 March 2018

7. Troops standing next to support vehicles in car park of Salisbury District Hospital

00:32:24

Military remove potentially-contaminated vehicles in Salisbury

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Salisbury - 11 March 2018

8. Police car being lifted onto truck

9. Police cars and forensic officials

10. Trucks leaving

00:44:24

Lavrov: Russia is 'not to blame' for poisoning of ex-spy

4144005

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Moscow - 13 March 2018

11. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister:

"Russia is not guilty, Russia is ready to cooperate in the framework of the Chemical Weapons Convention only if the United Kingdom takes the pains to fulfill their legal obligations according to the same document."

01:01:20

UK emergencies committee meets to discuss Salisbury nerve agent case

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UK POOL

London - 13 March 2018

12. British Prime Minister Theresa May leaving Number 10 Downing Street to attend Cobra meeting (a cross-departmental crisis committee that is formed to respond to national emergencies) meeting

01:06:12

Detectives busy at house of dead Russian businessman

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 13 March 2018

New Malden, London - 13 March 2018

13. Various of house belonging to Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov with police tents outside

01:14:21

Trump points to Russia in poisoning of former spy in UK

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 15 March 2018

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President

" It looks like the Russians were behind it, something that should never, ever happen, and we're taking it very seriously, as I think are many others. "

01:24:24

May: The Russian state is responsible for nerve agent attack

4144999

UK POOL

Birmingham - 19 March 2018

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, British Prime Minister:

"I set out clearly in the House of Commons last week why it is that we believe the Russian state is culpable for the incident that took place, for the acts that took place, for the use of this nerve agent on the streets of Salisbury.

STORYLINE

US President Donald Trump arrives in Britain on July 11th 2018 - and straight into a storm of protests.

Anti-Trump demonstrators have vowed to track him every step of the way.

One of the most eye-catching initiatives will be a giant inflatable balloon, or blimp, which has been named Trump Baby.

The blimp will be flown over Parliament Square Gardens in London's Westminster on July 13th.

Footage captured ahead of Trump's visit shows organisers inflating the blimp, which caricatures the American president as an angry, orange baby, complete with a snarling face and nappy, with a tiny hand clutching a mobile phone for tweeting.

Organisers say that they've sought to portray Trump as he's seen by his critics.

***

Thousands of demonstrators marched in central London on July 13th to protest against Donald Trump's first visit to the UK as US President.

A huge crowd gathered in Trafalgar Square, one of the British capital's most iconic landmarks.

***

As thousands of protesters in London marched against Donald Trump's first visit to the UK as US President, a small group of far-right supporters emerged from a pub and scuffled with police and demonstrators.

Some of the far right supporters were joined by Trump supporters.

Footage shows heated exchanges between pro- and anti-Trump supporters, with at least three people being arrested as minor scuffles broke out.

Police eventually escorted the far-right and Trump supporters away from the anti-Trump rally, allowing them to gather at the Red Lion pub near the UK Parliament.

Throughout the day, anti-Trump demonstrators in London were seen chanting slogans to vent their disapproval over the visit, blowing horns and waving banners.

Protests in Britain are expected to continue on July 14th.

***

A small rally supporting US President Donald Trump in London has been joined by thousands of supporters of prominent right-wing activist Tommy Robinson.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded an anti-Muslim group and was jailed for contempt of court after broadcasting outside a criminal trial in May.

Scotland Yard had imposed restrictions on both rallies "due to concerns of serious public disorder and disruption."

It said a June rally by the "Free Tommy" group resulted in serious violence in London and led to nine arrests.

Police said two people were arrested at Saturday's rally for suspected public order offences.

***

US President Donald Trump was asked at the end of a Cabinet meeting on July 18th if Russia was still targeting the United States.

The president said, "no," contradicting recent warnings from his top intelligence chief.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said later on July 18th that Trump was saying "no" to answering more questions, although he did go on to answer an additional question.

Trump's comment came after National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said July 13th that warning lights about overall cyber threats to the US are "blinking red" - much like "blinking red" signals warned before the 9/11 attacks.

Trump did not elaborate on the threat posed by Russia, telling reporters that no American president has been as "tough" on Russia as he has been.

Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor, but cyber threats also are coming from China, Iran and North Korea, as well as criminal networks and individual hackers, Coats said last week.

US intelligence agencies have said Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers, accusing them of hacking into the Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.

Russia has denied state involvement.

***

House Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed President Donald Trump's plan to revoke security clearances from top former national security officials as just a mild form of "trolling," rather than a serious attack on dissent.

The GOP leader shrugged off the White House plan Tuesday, saying, "I think he's trolling people, honestly."

Ryan said the issue of who is able to access security clearances falls within the purview of the executive branch, rather than Congress. He seemed intent on leaving it to the White House to decide. Ryan says, "It's not really in our purview."

He dismissed Trump's threat to revoke the clearances of top former national security officials as simply the president's way of needling his opponents.

"I think he's just trolling people," Ryan said.

The White House on July 23rd said it was looking into revoking clearances for top former officials who have "politicized" their public service and security clearances by making "baseless accusations" that the Trump administration had improper contact with Russia or was influenced by Russia.

Ryan also responded to a question about President Vladimir Putin's possible visit to Washington this fall, saying he "certainly will not be giving him an invitation to do a joint session (address to Congress.) That's something we reserve for allies."

Ryan also said lawmakers are making the case to President Donald Trump that tariffs are "not the way to go."

The Republican leader told reporters July 24th, "I've made it pretty clear I don't think tariffs are the right answer."

Ryan's remarks came a couple hours after Trump tweeted that "Tariffs are the greatest!" and threatened to impose additional penalties on U.S. trading partners.

***

Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer" Michael Cohen says that he made hush money payments to two women "at the direction" of Trump.

Deputy U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami told reporters on August 21st after Cohen's guilty plea that he submitted invoices to the candidate's company to obtain reimbursement for the unlawful campaign contributions.

Cohen pleaded guilty to charges including campaign finance fraud stemming from hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The 51-year-old Cohen said in federal court in New York on Tuesday that he made the payments in coordination with Trump, who wasn't named, to influence the election. Both women claimed Trump had affairs with them, which he denies.

The other charges Cohen pleaded guilty to involve bank fraud and income tax evasion.

As part of his plea agreement, Cohen agreed not to challenge any sentence from 46 to 63 months.

***

US President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid an unannounced visit on September 21st to the federal courthouse in New York where he pleaded guilty a month ago.

Cohen left the building at around 1:30 pm and declined to say why he was there.

He also declined to comment on any discussions he'd had with special counsel Robert Mueller.

Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

On September 20th , Cohen confirmed in a tweet that he had met Mueller and provided "critical information".

Cohen is awaiting a December sentencing after pleading guilty to tax fraud, bank fraud and campaign finance violations.

During his plea, Cohen said Trump directed him to arrange payments to a porn star before the 2016 election.

01:46:09

00:00:00

Protesters to fly Trump Baby balloon over parliament during his UK visit

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 10 July 2018

1. Giant balloon called "Trump Baby"

2. Close-ups of snarling face

00:08:00

Thousands in central London anti-Trump protest

4163387

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 13 July 2018

3. Tilt down on protest crowd at Trafalgar Square

4. Protesters in Trafalgar Square

5. Protester carrying sign reading (English) "Donald Duck Off"

00:20:07

Heated exchanges between anti-Trump and far right protesters, arrests

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 13 July 2018

6. Police leading the arrested far-right supporter away

7. Anti-Trump protesters chanting UPSOUND (English) "Donald Trump, go away, racist, sexist, anti-gay"

8. Far-right protesters chanting (English) "USA"

00:39:03

Right-wing and pro-Trump protests held in London

4163510

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 14 July 2018

9. Female Muslim bus driver sitting in her bus unable to drive

10. Protester making a rude hand gesture at female Muslim bus driver

00:45:24

Trump: There's never been a president as tough on Russia

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 18 July 2018

++TRUMP PAUSES AS REPORTERS ASK QUESTIONS++

11. Trump: " and there's been no president ever as tough as I have been on Russia.

00:51:02

Ryan likens Trump's threat to revoke critics' security clearances to trolling

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 24 July 2018

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House: (responding to question on Trump's possible plan to revoke security clearances)

"I think he's trolling people, honestly. This is something that's in the purview of the executive branch. I think some of these people have already lost their clearances. Some people keep their clearances. That's something that the executive branch deals with. That's not really in our purview. ... I think he's just trolling people."

01:10:02

First Lady Melania Trump's parents sworn in as US citizens

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 9 August 2018

13. Viktor and Amalija Knavs walk out of a federal building in New York City after being sworn in as U.S. citizens

14. Viktor and Amalija Knavs with their lawyer Michael Wildes and Department of Homeland Security law enforcement officers

15. Viktor and Amalija Knavs walking into court

01:23:13

Trump's former 'fixer' Michael Cohen pleads guilty to campaign finance fraud

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 21 August 2018

16. Various of Michael Cohen leaving court and getting into car

01:38:21

Trump ex lawyer Michael Cohen visits New York court

4173668

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 21 September 2018

17. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen exits courthouse, enters vehicle

A Russian politician has said that the world no longer "has the right" to accuse Russia of interference in the US presidential elections.

Speaking to The Associated Press from his office in Moscow on Monday, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, said US President Donald Trump had the potential to win a second term and work to improve the relationship between Russia and the US.

"But they will continue to do something from other positions. Now, they'll accuse (us) of meddling in the Ukrainian elections, and the European parliament elections," the politician added.

His comments came after special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice.

That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

Still, 34 people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation.

Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Russian authorities over the past months have portrayed the Mueller probe as a witch hunt against Trump and a tool of the Democratic Party to fan the flames of the anti-Russian sentiment in the U.S.

Moscow – 25 March 2019

1. Various of Russian parliament interiors

2. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, sitting at his desk

3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia:

"Well, someone assigned the task of dragging through the mud and blackening reputations (of Russia and Trump), so if there hadn't been the Mueller report, they would continue to do it. They did it before the Mueller report, they did it a hundred years ago, so that's the task that is before them, and they had to solve it. But from a legal prospective, the American special counsel (Robert Mueller) finished the report and there is no proof of us meddling in the elections. That's the main thing. But they will continue to do something from other positions. Now, they'll accuse (Russia) of meddling in the Ukrainian elections, and the European parliament elections."

4. Poster featuring Zhirinovsky's face

5. Tilt up Liberal Democratic Party poster

6. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia:

"In any case, there were the mid-term elections of Congress in November, there will be the election for the second (presidential) term in November next year and Trump has all the grounds to win and, during his second term, the relationship between Russia and the US maybe will improve. If these accusations are unsuitable against Russia, furthermore, they are unsuitable against Trump, he is the president. The FBI and the CIA could find something against him but they have found absolutely nothing for two years. Therefore, Trump is clean, and no one has the right to accuse us of anything related to the US presidential elections."

7. Liberal Democratic Party poster and photo of Zhirinovsky and Russian President Vladimir Putin

AFTER A ROCKY START TO THE YEAR MARKED BY VULGAR COMMENTS AND A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL DELIVER HIS FIRST STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT -- LOOKING TO RECLAIM MOMENTUM FOR HIS AGENDA AND CONVINCE THE COUNTRY HE'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK...

SOUNBITE: President Donald Trump, in Davos Switzerland

"America is open for business and we are competitive once again."

TRUMP DELIVERS HIS address to the nation UNDER THE CLOUD OF ROBERT MUELLER'S RUSSIA INVESTIGATION AND WITH THE LOWEST PUBLIC APPROVAL RATINGS OF ANY PRESIDENT AT THIS POINT IN OFFICE.

SO EXPECT THE PRESIDENT TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON HIS SUCCESSES... TOUTING THE RECENTLY PASSED TAX CUTS AND THE ECONOMY'S BOOMING PERFORMANCE.

UPSOUND: Donald Trump, Jan. 19, 2018

"I will say our country is doing really well, our economy is perhaps the best it's ever been..."

SOUNDBITE: Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute

"I'm expecting this will be a speech that will be focused on victory laps. Hewill exaggerate the accomplishments and not talk much about the things that have not been done."

TRUMP *WILL* ATTEMPT TO MAKE HEADWAY ON AN ISSUE AT THE HEART OF THE government funding impasse -- IMMIGRATION.

THE PRESIDENT is PROPOSING A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR 1.8-MILLION OF THE SO-CALLED DREAMER IMMIGRANTS -- AS WELL AS 25-BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR A BORDER WALL AND OTHER SECURITY MEASURES.

SOUNDBITE: Trump, audio from Jan. 24

"We're going to treat people very well and we're going to solve a problem that has been a very tough problem to solve."

BUT DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY SLAMMING THE PROPOSAL -- AS WELL AS TRUMP'S ABILITY TO STRIKE A DEAL.

SOUNDBITE: Sen. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader

"Negotiating with this White House is like negotiating with jello. It's next to impossible."

TRUMP WILL ALSO PREVIEW HIS LONG-AWAITED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN...PROPOSING TO PUT SOME 1.7 TRILLION DOLLARS INTO REBUILDING THE NATION'S CRUMBLING ROADS and BRIDGES....

THE WHITE HOUSE HOPING TO FIND A RARE AREA OF POTENTIAL COMPROMISE DURING THE MIDST OF A CONTENTIOUS MIDTERM YEAR.

SOUNDBITE: Barbara Perry, UVA Director of Presidential Studies

"That's the kind of thing that could still get some bipartisan support. You know, what can what can be bad for bringing in a shovel ready project into your district or your state as you're going into a re-election?"

ON NATIONAL SECURITY, TRUMP WILL PRAISE HIS ADMINISTRATION'S PROGRESS ON FIGHTING THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP.

HE'LL CONTINUE HIS PUSH FOR BETTER TRADE DEALS AND ISSUE RENEWED WARNINGS ABOUT A NUCLEAR ARMED NORTH KOREA.

SOUNDBITE: Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute

"I've gotta believe we will have at least one Rocket Man if not two mentions. I would expect that Trump is gonna tout his Middle East policy which is getting some acclaim and viewed rapturously by the Israelis. What I don't expect is that he will say much of anything about Russia."

WHAT will BE NOTABLE TUESDAY NIGHt IS NOT JUST WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS -- BUT WHO'S IN THE ROOM.

DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS -- SOME PLANNING TO WEAR BLACK -- HAVE INVITED DREAMERS AND SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS AS THEIR GUESTS AT THE ADDRESS -- HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM AND SOLIDARITY ON THE #METOO MOVEMENT.

KELLY DASCHLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 12 January 2018

1. Donald Trump boarding Marine One on the White House south lawn

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

2. Various shots of Donald Trump walking onto House floor, shaking hands before Joint Address to Congress

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Davos, Switzerland - 26 January 2018

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"America is open for business and we are competitive once again."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

FILE: Washington DC - 13 June 2013

4. Various of then FBI Director Robert Mueller being sworn in before giving evidence to committee, sitting down

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Davos, Switzerland - 26 January 2018

5. Donald Trump walking past shouting reporters at World Economic Forum

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

6. Wide shot from behind Trump as he gives his Joint Address

HOUSE TV - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 20 December 2017

7. House Speaker Paul Ryan bangs gavel after House passes tax reform bill

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - Date Unknown

8. US dollar bills on printing press

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 19 January 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I will say our country is doing really well, our economy is perhaps the best it's ever been..."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 24 January 2018

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute:

"I'm expecting this will be a speech that will be focused on victory laps. Hewill exaggerate the accomplishments and not talk much about the things that have not been done."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

11. Various shots of Donald Trump delivering Joint Address to Congress

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Phoenix, Arizona – 5 September 2017

12. Pro-immigration marchers in Phoenix

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC – 5 September 2017

13. Pro-immigration marchers in Washington

14. Shot of a "protect dreamers" sign

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

San Diego, California - 26 October 2017

15. US Border Patrol officials riding past large border wall prototypes

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++NOTE: AUDIO ONLY++

"We're going to treat people very well and we're going to solve a problem that has been a very tough problem to solve."

17. Donald Trump Graphic with text over audio soundbite above

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 23 January 2018

18. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Dick Durbin and other Democrats walking to talk to press

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington DC - 20 January 2018

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader:

"Negotiating with this White House is like negotiating with jello. It's next to impossible.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Stillwater, Minnesota -- August 27, 2013

20. Cars driving on Stillwater Lift Bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York -- August 15, 2013

21. Wide shot of Brooklyn Bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington -- August 13, 2013

22. Shots of vehicles on Frederick Douglass Bridge

23. Various close shots of bridge

24. Wide of bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - Recent

25. Rack focus shot of Capitol during sunset

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Charlottesville, Virginia - 10 January 2018

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara Perry, Director of Presidential Studies, University of Virginia:

"That's the kind of thing that could still get some bipartisan support. You know, what can what can be bad for bringing in a shovel ready project into your district or your state as you're going into a re-election?"

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Big Sur, California - 16 March 2017

27. Construction workers and equipment near damaged bridge

28. Sign reading "Bridge Closed"

29. Wider shot of damaged bridge

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

30. Various shots of Donald Trump delivering Joint Address to Congress

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mosul, Iraq - November 17, 2017

31. Drone shot of rubble after Islamic State defeat

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Tianjin, China - 4 May 2011

32. Export containers being loaded onto a ship

KRT - NO ACCESS TO NORTH KOREA

Location unknown - August 2016

33. Night shot of North Korean missile launch

KRT - NO ACCESS TO NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang - 10 September 2017

34. Kim Jong Un walking into concert

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jerusalem - 5 December 2017

35. Wide, Jerusalem

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jerusalem - 23 May 2017

36. Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands after a speech

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 24 January 2018

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute:

"I've gotta believe we will have at least one Rocket Man if not two mentions. I would expect that Trump is gonna tout his Middle East policy which is getting some acclaim and viewed rapturously by the Israelis. What I don't expect is that he will say much of anything about Russia."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Hamburg - 7 July 2017

38.Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

39. Wide shot of Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress

40. Melania Trump applauding during address

41. Democratic female lawmakers wearing white sitting down

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Phoenix, Arizona – 5 September 2017

42. Pro-immigration marchers in Phoenix

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC – 5 September 2017

43. Pro-immigration marchers in Washington

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Las Vegas - 21 January 2018

44. "MeToo" sign at Womens March in Las Vegas

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

45. Donald Trump wrapping up his Joint Address to Congress

AFTER A ROCKY START TO THE YEAR MARKED BY VULGAR COMMENTS AND A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL DELIVER HIS FIRST STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT -- LOOKING TO RECLAIM MOMENTUM FOR HIS AGENDA AND CONVINCE THE COUNTRY HE'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK...

SOUNBITE: President Donald Trump, in Davos Switzerland

"America is open for business and we are competitive once again."

TRUMP DELIVERS HIS address to the nation UNDER THE CLOUD OF ROBERT MUELLER'S RUSSIA INVESTIGATION AND WITH THE LOWEST PUBLIC APPROVAL RATINGS OF ANY PRESIDENT AT THIS POINT IN OFFICE.

SO EXPECT THE PRESIDENT TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON HIS SUCCESSES... TOUTING THE RECENTLY PASSED TAX CUTS AND THE ECONOMY'S BOOMING PERFORMANCE.

UPSOUND: Donald Trump, Jan. 19, 2018

"I will say our country is doing really well, our economy is perhaps the best it's ever been..."

SOUNDBITE: Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute

"I'm expecting this will be a speech that will be focused on victory laps. Hewill exaggerate the accomplishments and not talk much about the things that have not been done."

TRUMP *WILL* ATTEMPT TO MAKE HEADWAY ON AN ISSUE AT THE HEART OF THE government funding impasse -- IMMIGRATION.

THE PRESIDENT is PROPOSING A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR 1.8-MILLION OF THE SO-CALLED DREAMER IMMIGRANTS -- AS WELL AS 25-BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR A BORDER WALL AND OTHER SECURITY MEASURES.

SOUNDBITE: Trump, audio from Jan. 24

"We're going to treat people very well and we're going to solve a problem that has been a very tough problem to solve."

BUT DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY SLAMMING THE PROPOSAL -- AS WELL AS TRUMP'S ABILITY TO STRIKE A DEAL.

SOUNDBITE: Sen. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader

"Negotiating with this White House is like negotiating with jello. It's next to impossible."

TRUMP WILL ALSO PREVIEW HIS LONG-AWAITED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN...PROPOSING TO PUT SOME 1.7 TRILLION DOLLARS INTO REBUILDING THE NATION'S CRUMBLING ROADS and BRIDGES....

THE WHITE HOUSE HOPING TO FIND A RARE AREA OF POTENTIAL COMPROMISE DURING THE MIDST OF A CONTENTIOUS MIDTERM YEAR.

SOUNDBITE: Barbara Perry, UVA Director of Presidential Studies

"That's the kind of thing that could still get some bipartisan support. You know, what can what can be bad for bringing in a shovel ready project into your district or your state as you're going into a re-election?"

ON NATIONAL SECURITY, TRUMP WILL PRAISE HIS ADMINISTRATION'S PROGRESS ON FIGHTING THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP.

HE'LL CONTINUE HIS PUSH FOR BETTER TRADE DEALS AND ISSUE RENEWED WARNINGS ABOUT A NUCLEAR ARMED NORTH KOREA.

SOUNDBITE: Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute

"I've gotta believe we will have at least one Rocket Man if not two mentions. I would expect that Trump is gonna tout his Middle East policy which is getting some acclaim and viewed rapturously by the Israelis. What I don't expect is that he will say much of anything about Russia."

WHAT will BE NOTABLE TUESDAY NIGHt IS NOT JUST WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS -- BUT WHO'S IN THE ROOM.

DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS -- SOME PLANNING TO WEAR BLACK -- HAVE INVITED DREAMERS AND SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS AS THEIR GUESTS AT THE ADDRESS -- HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM AND SOLIDARITY ON THE #METOO MOVEMENT.

KELLY DASCHLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 12 January 2018

1. Donald Trump boarding Marine One on the White House south lawn

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

2. Various shots of Donald Trump walking onto House floor, shaking hands before Joint Address to Congress

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Davos, Switzerland - 26 January 2018

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"America is open for business and we are competitive once again."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

FILE: Washington DC - 13 June 2013

4. Various of then FBI Director Robert Mueller being sworn in before giving evidence to committee, sitting down

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Davos, Switzerland - 26 January 2018

5. Donald Trump walking past shouting reporters at World Economic Forum

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

6. Wide shot from behind Trump as he gives his Joint Address

HOUSE TV - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 20 December 2017

7. House Speaker Paul Ryan bangs gavel after House passes tax reform bill

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - Date Unknown

8. US dollar bills on printing press

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 19 January 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I will say our country is doing really well, our economy is perhaps the best it's ever been..."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 24 January 2018

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute:

"I'm expecting this will be a speech that will be focused on victory laps. Hewill exaggerate the accomplishments and not talk much about the things that have not been done."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

11. Various shots of Donald Trump delivering Joint Address to Congress

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Phoenix, Arizona – 5 September 2017

12. Pro-immigration marchers in Phoenix

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC – 5 September 2017

13. Pro-immigration marchers in Washington

14. Shot of a "protect dreamers" sign

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

San Diego, California - 26 October 2017

15. US Border Patrol officials riding past large border wall prototypes

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++NOTE: AUDIO ONLY++

"We're going to treat people very well and we're going to solve a problem that has been a very tough problem to solve."

17. Donald Trump Graphic with text over audio soundbite above

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 23 January 2018

18. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Dick Durbin and other Democrats walking to talk to press

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington DC - 20 January 2018

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader:

"Negotiating with this White House is like negotiating with jello. It's next to impossible.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Stillwater, Minnesota -- August 27, 2013

20. Cars driving on Stillwater Lift Bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York -- August 15, 2013

21. Wide shot of Brooklyn Bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington -- August 13, 2013

22. Shots of vehicles on Frederick Douglass Bridge

23. Various close shots of bridge

24. Wide of bridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - Recent

25. Rack focus shot of Capitol during sunset

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Charlottesville, Virginia - 10 January 2018

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara Perry, Director of Presidential Studies, University of Virginia:

"That's the kind of thing that could still get some bipartisan support. You know, what can what can be bad for bringing in a shovel ready project into your district or your state as you're going into a re-election?"

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Big Sur, California - 16 March 2017

27. Construction workers and equipment near damaged bridge

28. Sign reading "Bridge Closed"

29. Wider shot of damaged bridge

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

30. Various shots of Donald Trump delivering Joint Address to Congress

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mosul, Iraq - November 17, 2017

31. Drone shot of rubble after Islamic State defeat

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Tianjin, China - 4 May 2011

32. Export containers being loaded onto a ship

KRT - NO ACCESS TO NORTH KOREA

Location unknown - August 2016

33. Night shot of North Korean missile launch

KRT - NO ACCESS TO NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang - 10 September 2017

34. Kim Jong Un walking into concert

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jerusalem - 5 December 2017

35. Wide, Jerusalem

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jerusalem - 23 May 2017

36. Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands after a speech

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 24 January 2018

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute:

"I've gotta believe we will have at least one Rocket Man if not two mentions. I would expect that Trump is gonna tout his Middle East policy which is getting some acclaim and viewed rapturously by the Israelis. What I don't expect is that he will say much of anything about Russia."

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Hamburg - 7 July 2017

38.Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

39. Wide shot of Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress

40. Melania Trump applauding during address

41. Democratic female lawmakers wearing white sitting down

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Phoenix, Arizona – 5 September 2017

42. Pro-immigration marchers in Phoenix

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC – 5 September 2017

43. Pro-immigration marchers in Washington

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Las Vegas - 21 January 2018

44. "MeToo" sign at Womens March in Las Vegas

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 28 February 2017

45. Donald Trump wrapping up his Joint Address to Congress

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says former FBI Director James Comey's "resolute testimony" confirms President Donald Trump's "contempt for justice."

Pelosi says that instead of protecting American democracy from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the president has worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of General Michael Flynn and the campaign's "possible collusion" with Russia.

Pelosi spoke after Comey appeared before a Senate panel Thursday.

Pelosi says an outside independent commission is needed to prevent foreign powers from interfering in future elections.

She says Russia hacked, leaked and in some cases altered information in a way that had an impact on the 2016 election. She says "we cannot let that happen again."

Washington - 8 June 2017

1. Wide of Pelosi walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, (D) Minority Leader:

"What we want are the facts. And why are the Republicans in Congress standing in the way of the American people finding out the truth of what the Russians have politically, personally or financially on President Donald Trump and when we see the facts then we can make a determination of how the facts compare through the wall or contrast. So you ask what did I learn today? Well I think we saw confirmation in Director Comey's resolute testimony detailing the frightening reality of President Trump's pattern of contempt for justice. His pattern of concerted and inexcusable efforts to shut down the FBI's investigation of his cronies ties to Russia and all of that I think disgraces the office of president. The president may not realize that but maybe I have more respect for the office of president than he does. Instead of protecting our democracy from Putin, President Trump worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of Michael Flynn and his campaign's possible collusion with Russia. Nothing less than the integrity and security of our democracy is at stake. So we have an investigation within the justice department. We all have a high degree of respect for Mr. Mueller but that is within the Justice Department reporting to Trump appointees. We have high regard for the fact that Congress can conduct an investigation in the intelligence committee in the House and in the Senate but that's inside the Congress, inside a Republican Congress. What we need is an outside, independent commission. The commission would be more about how do we stop the undermining of our own democracy by a foreign power which is an adversary. Russia is our adversary."

3. Pelosi and other representatives leaving

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says former FBI Director James Comey's "resolute testimony" confirms President Donald Trump's "contempt for justice."

Pelosi says that instead of protecting American democracy from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the president has worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of General Michael Flynn and the campaign's "possible collusion" with Russia.

Pelosi spoke after Comey appeared before a Senate panel Thursday.

Pelosi says an outside independent commission is needed to prevent foreign powers from interfering in future elections.

She says Russia hacked, leaked and in some cases altered information in a way that had an impact on the 2016 election. She says "we cannot let that happen again."

Washington - 8 June 2017

1. Wide of Pelosi walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, (D) Minority Leader:

"What we want are the facts. And why are the Republicans in Congress standing in the way of the American people finding out the truth of what the Russians have politically, personally or financially on President Donald Trump and when we see the facts then we can make a determination of how the facts compare through the wall or contrast. So you ask what did I learn today? Well I think we saw confirmation in Director Comey's resolute testimony detailing the frightening reality of President Trump's pattern of contempt for justice. His pattern of concerted and inexcusable efforts to shut down the FBI's investigation of his cronies' ties to Russia and all of that I think disgraces the office of president. The president may not realise that but maybe I have more respect for the office of president than he does. Instead of protecting our democracy from Putin, President Trump worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of Michael Flynn and his campaign's possible collusion with Russia. Nothing less than the integrity and security of our democracy is at stake. So we have an investigation within the justice department. We all have a high degree of respect for Mr. Mueller but that is within the Justice Department reporting to Trump appointees. We have high regard for the fact that Congress can conduct an investigation in the intelligence committee in the House and in the Senate but that's inside the Congress, inside a Republican Congress. What we need is an outside, independent commission. The commission would be more about how do we stop the undermining of our own democracy by a foreign power which is an adversary. Russia is our adversary."

3. Pelosi and other representatives leaving

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says former FBI Director James Comey's "resolute testimony" confirms President Donald Trump's "contempt for justice."

Pelosi says that instead of protecting American democracy from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the president has worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of General Michael Flynn and the campaign's "possible collusion" with Russia.

Pelosi spoke after Comey appeared before a Senate panel Thursday.

Pelosi says an outside independent commission is needed to prevent foreign powers from interfering in future elections.

She says Russia hacked, leaked and in some cases altered information in a way that had an impact on the 2016 election. She says "we cannot let that happen again."

Washington - 8 June 2017

1. Wide of Pelosi walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, (D) Minority Leader:

"What we want are the facts. And why are the Republicans in Congress standing in the way of the American people finding out the truth of what the Russians have politically, personally or financially on President Donald Trump and when we see the facts then we can make a determination of how the facts compare through the wall or contrast. So you ask what did I learn today? Well I think we saw confirmation in Director Comey's resolute testimony detailing the frightening reality of President Trump's pattern of contempt for justice. His pattern of concerted and inexcusable efforts to shut down the FBI's investigation of his cronies ties to Russia and all of that I think disgraces the office of president. The president may not realize that but maybe I have more respect for the office of president than he does. Instead of protecting our democracy from Putin, President Trump worked relentlessly to obstruct the investigation of Michael Flynn and his campaign's possible collusion with Russia. Nothing less than the integrity and security of our democracy is at stake. So we have an investigation within the justice department. We all have a high degree of respect for Mr. Mueller but that is within the Justice Department reporting to Trump appointees. We have high regard for the fact that Congress can conduct an investigation in the intelligence committee in the House and in the Senate but that's inside the Congress, inside a Republican Congress. What we need is an outside, independent commission. The commission would be more about how do we stop the undermining of our own democracy by a foreign power which is an adversary. Russia is our adversary."

3. Pelosi and other representatives leaving

Arriving at a Senate hearing where US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would comment on the happenings of US President Donald Trump's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Senators seemed unsure about the idea of a second summit with the leader.

The Trump administration sought to fend off accusations the president is too soft on Russia on Wednesday, putting off a proposed second summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and declaring the U.S. will never recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) says inviting Putin to Washington was a bad idea in the first place.

"Until it is clear that President Putin of Russia understands that his attack on our election is intolerable," said Coons.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) was strongly against President Trump's private meeting with Putin in Helsinki, and was glad that this next one would be delayed.

"I'm not opposed to president's meeting. That's fine. But private meetings like this just, it's not turning out well," said Flake.

National security adviser John Bolton cited special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election as the reason for the delay, although many members of Congress had objected to the meeting and said Putin would not be welcome on Capitol Hill.

"The President believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we've agreed that it will be after the first of the year," Bolton said in a statement, using Trump's favored but highly controversial term for the Mueller probe.

Washington DC - 25 July 2018

1. UPSOUND (English) Officials walk down hallway

Reporter: "Senator, what's your reaction to the delay of this Putin meeting?"

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.): "I think it's great."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

Reporter: "Can you tell us anything about what Secretary of State Pompeo has revealed about the Trump Putin summit in Helsinki?"

Coons: "Very little. In, I think, an important and positive opening statement, Secretary Pompeo shared that a President Trump has issued a declaration that the United States, as a matter of policy, will not recognize the annexation of Crimea and will hold Russia accountable for withdrawing from eastern Ukraine and restoring and respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine. That was a very positive statement. Senator Menendez of New Jersey pressed Secretary Pompeo very hard on exactly what was said in the Helsinki summit. Secretary Pompeo aggressively defended the right of the president to have private meetings and was really not very forthcoming about exactly what was said."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

Reporter: "Senator what do you think of the White House's decision to delay the upcoming meeting with Putin?"

Coons: "I don't think it was appropriate to invite President Putin to a meeting at the White House in the first place. Until it is clear that President Putin of Russia understands that his attack on our election is intolerable and that his continued actions to uphold and defend the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad and his action in invading and occupying Crimea. Until President Putin understands and takes clear action that shows that he is withdrawing from or backing away from or changing those positions, I don't think there should be a meeting in the United States in particular in our nation's capital. Thank you all very very much."

4. Mid, Sen. Jeff Flake exits room

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeff Flake (R) Arizona:

Reporter: "..The fact that he is not commenting or giving many details about the one-on-one meeting Trump had."

Flake: "There's not much he's saying. We wish we had more of a read out. The Russians are characterizing certain things, talking about fabulous agreements and concessions or whatever else and we have no idea. That's the problem of having a private meeting like this."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeff Flake (R) Arizona:

Flake: "Well, that's that's the problem with having a private meeting like this. Particularly when they seem to have been far better prepared. So I'm glad they put off the next meeting, I hope I don't I'm not opposed to president's meeting. That's fine. But private meetings like this just, it's not turning out well."

Reporter: "Sir, John Bolton says that we're not going to be having another Russian summit until after..."

Flake: "Hopefully that gives us more time to prepare and hopefully for more people to talk about how detrimental it is to have a private meeting like this allowing the Russians to characterize it when we aren't prepared to do so. And so I hope that if we've learned anything we learned not to do that again."

++EDIT ENDS IN A SOUNDBITE++

Arriving at a Senate hearing where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would comment on the happenings of President Donald Trump's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Senators seemed unsure about the idea of a second summit with the leader.

The Trump administration sought to fend off accusations the president is too soft on Russia on Wednesday, putting off a proposed second summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and declaring the U.S. will never recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) says inviting Putin to Washington was a bad idea in the first place.

"Until it is clear that President Putin of Russia understands that his attack on our election is intolerable," said Coons.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) was strongly against President Trump's private meeting with Putin in Helsinki, and was glad that this next one would be delayed.

"I'm not opposed to president's meeting. That's fine. But private meetings like this just, it's not turning out well," said Flake.

National security adviser John Bolton cited special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election as the reason for the delay, although many members of Congress had objected to the meeting and said Putin would not be welcome on Capitol Hill.

"The President believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we've agreed that it will be after the first of the year," Bolton said in a statement, using Trump's favored but highly controversial term for the Mueller probe.

Washington, DC - 25 July 2018

1. UPSOUND (English) Officials walk down hallway

Reporter: "Senator, what's your reaction to the delay of this Putin meeting?"

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.): "I think it's great."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

Reporter: "Can you tell us anything about what Secretary of State Pompeo has revealed about the Trump Putin summit in Helsinki?"

Coons: "Very little. In, I think, an important and positive opening statement, Secretary Pompeo shared that a President Trump has issued a declaration that the United States, as a matter of policy, will not recognize the annexation of Crimea and will hold Russia accountable for withdrawing from eastern Ukraine and restoring and respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine. That was a very positive statement. Senator Menendez of New Jersey pressed Secretary Pompeo very hard on exactly what was said in the Helsinki summit. Secretary Pompeo aggressively defended the right of the president to have private meetings and was really not very forthcoming about exactly what was said."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware:

Reporter: "Senator what do you think of the White House's decision to delay the upcoming meeting with Putin?"

Coons: "I don't think it was appropriate to invite President Putin to a meeting at the White House in the first place. Until it is clear that President Putin of Russia understands that his attack on our election is intolerable and that his continued actions to uphold and defend the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad and his action in invading and occupying Crimea. Until President Putin understands and takes clear action that shows that he is withdrawing from or backing away from or changing those positions, I don't think there should be a meeting in the United States in particular in our nation's capital. Thank you all very very much."

4. Mid, Sen. Jeff Flake exits room

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeff Flake (R) Arizona:

Reporter: "..The fact that he is not commenting or giving many details about the one-on-one meeting Trump had."

Flake: "There's not much he's saying. We wish we had more of a read out. The Russians are characterizing certain things, talking about fabulous agreements and concessions or whatever else and we have no idea. That's the problem of having a private meeting like this."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Jeff Flake (R) Arizona:

Flake: "Well, that's that's the problem with having a private meeting like this. Particularly when they seem to have been far better prepared. So I'm glad they put off the next meeting, I hope I don't I'm not opposed to president's meeting. That's fine. But private meetings like this just, it's not turning out well."

Reporter: "Sir, John Bolton says that we're not going to be having another Russian summit until after..."

Flake: "Hopefully that gives us more time to prepare and hopefully for more people to talk about how detrimental it is to have a private meeting like this allowing the Russians to characterize it when we aren't prepared to do so. And so I hope that if we've learned anything we learned not to do that again."

++EDIT ENDS IN A SOUNDBITE++

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus100788

Key members of Congress are reacting to President Donald Trump's performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Key GOP lawmakers at least initially refrained from directly attacking Trump's performance, and at least one echoed the president's criticism of the special counsel probe.

Rep. Darrell Issa of California he takes the charges filed by Mueller's team seriously, but added that it's appropriate for the president to "cast doubt."

Democrats strongly criticized the press conference. California House Democrat Eric Swalwell said, "I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not."

Trump refused to publicly condemn Russian interference in the 2016 election or warn against future meddling during the joint press conference with Putin in Finland.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 16 July 2018

++SOTS SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not. The job of the American president to protect the American people first. That's the first job the American president and this president has chosen again to side with Russia, incapable of attributing the last attack against the Russians and incapable of showing the American people that we're going to do something to make sure that this doesn't happen again."

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it's high time the American people vote on this issue and many others because the only way to really, I think, be a check on this president is to have a Congress that's willing to stand up to him. Again he's a wrecking ball. He went over to Europe. He insulted and threatened our NATO allies. He sought to disrupt a pending election in the United Kingdom and then sided with the Russians. Again, we are not helpless. We can stand up to him with the right Congress. I'll keep trying to change the minds of my colleagues but I think we may have to change 23 seats or more of this November."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"I think for the president to cast doubt is appropriate. (Reporter? Cast doubt on the US Intelligence community?) Cast doubt on the validity of any number of these things. You know that's fair. Having said that, Putin is an evil man who has killed many people in his own country."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"Well, I've said repeatedly that the calls for extradition are absurd. They're not going to happen. We don't extradite our spies when they get alleged or even caught doing things and vice versa. Having said that, I want to see the information on those indictments go forward. The fact that they'll never be brought to justice doesn't change the fact that we should know more about what we believe they did and how they did it. And that's where I stand is Let's flush this out and see if it's real. Let's remember that we're more than a year into an investigation that claims that ... there was collusion with the Russians without a shred of evidence there was. So, you know, doubting something until it's been vetted and verified is reasonable."

Key members of Congress are reacting to President Donald Trump's performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Some Republican lawmakers at least initially refrained from directly attacking Trump's performance, and at least one echoed the president's criticism of the special counsel probe.

Rep. Darrell Issa of California said he takes the charges filed by Mueller's team seriously, but added that it's appropriate for the president to "cast doubt."

Democrats strongly criticized the press conference. California House Democrat Eric Swalwell said, "I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not."

Trump refused to publicly condemn Russian interference in the 2016 election or warn against future meddling during the joint press conference with Putin in Finland.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 16 July 2018

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

1. Rep. Eric Swalwell walks to speak with press

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not. The job of the American president to protect the American people first. That's the first job of the American president and this president has chosen again to side with Russia, incapable of attributing the last attack against the Russians and incapable of showing the American people that we're going to do something to make sure that this doesn't happen again. And now it's on Congress because if Congress doesn't protect the American people we are completely defenseless. We'll see this happen again and from other adversaries with similar capabilities – they'll do the same thing and they will see us as weak."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"We're not helpless in Congress though and right now you see a GOP that just gives green lights to the president that just continues to act this way and there's no penalty. We keep appropriating his priorities and we're not putting up, I think, we're not putting our fingers on that big red button that can stop the wrecking ball that this president is and it's time that we do because we just saw the cost of doing nothing. He's going to continue to act this way and choose Russia over us."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it's high time the American people vote on this issue and many others because the only way to really, I think, be a check on this president is to have a Congress that's willing to stand up to him. Again he's a wrecking ball. He went over to Europe. He insulted and threatened our NATO allies. He sought to disrupt a pending election in the United Kingdom and then sided with the Russians. Again, we are not helpless. We can stand up to him with the right Congress. I'll keep trying to change the minds of my colleagues but I think we may have to change 23 seats or more this November."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"I think for the president to cast doubt is appropriate. (Reporter? Cast doubt on the US Intelligence community?) Cast doubt on the validity of any number of these things. You know that's fair. Having said that, Putin is an evil man who has killed many people in his own country. There's no question at all that Russia is still a adverse entity to the United States. And so, no different than Ronald Reagan, we have to work with him at the same time, we cannot trust Russia fully."

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"Well, I've said repeatedly that the calls for extradition are absurd. They're not going to happen. We don't extradite our spies when they get alleged or even caught doing things and vice versa. Having said that, I want to see the information on those indictments go forward. The fact that they'll never be brought to justice doesn't change the fact that we should know more about what we believe they did and how they did it. And that's where I stand is - let's flush this out and see if it's real. Let's remember that we're more than a year into an investigation that claims that ... there was collusion with the Russians without a shred of evidence that there was. So, you know, doubting something until it's been vetted and verified is reasonable. Having said that, I'm going to repeat I find Putin somebody we have to deal with, somebody who is obviously part of that old evil empire and hasn't changed his stripes."

Key members of Congress are reacting to President Donald Trump's performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Some Republican lawmakers at least initially refrained from directly attacking Trump's performance, and at least one echoed the president's criticism of the special counsel probe.

Rep. Darrell Issa of California said he takes the charges filed by Mueller's team seriously, but added that it's appropriate for the president to "cast doubt."

Democrats strongly criticized the press conference. California House Democrat Eric Swalwell said, "I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not."

Trump refused to publicly condemn Russian interference in the 2016 election or warn against future meddling during the joint press conference with Putin in Finland.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 16 July 2018

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

1. Rep. Eric Swalwell walks to speak with press

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it was disgraceful that American flags were on the stage for this summit because an American president was not. The job of the American president to protect the American people first. That's the first job of the American president and this president has chosen again to side with Russia, incapable of attributing the last attack against the Russians and incapable of showing the American people that we're going to do something to make sure that this doesn't happen again. And now it's on Congress because if Congress doesn't protect the American people we are completely defenseless. We'll see this happen again and from other adversaries with similar capabilities – they'll do the same thing and they will see us as weak."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"We're not helpless in Congress though and right now you see a GOP that just gives green lights to the president that just continues to act this way and there's no penalty. We keep appropriating his priorities and we're not putting up, I think, we're not putting our fingers on that big red button that can stop the wrecking ball that this president is and it's time that we do because we just saw the cost of doing nothing. He's going to continue to act this way and choose Russia over us."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D) California:

"I think it's high time the American people vote on this issue and many others because the only way to really, I think, be a check on this president is to have a Congress that's willing to stand up to him. Again he's a wrecking ball. He went over to Europe. He insulted and threatened our NATO allies. He sought to disrupt a pending election in the United Kingdom and then sided with the Russians. Again, we are not helpless. We can stand up to him with the right Congress. I'll keep trying to change the minds of my colleagues but I think we may have to change 23 seats or more this November."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"I think for the president to cast doubt is appropriate. (Reporter? Cast doubt on the US Intelligence community?) Cast doubt on the validity of any number of these things. You know that's fair. Having said that, Putin is an evil man who has killed many people in his own country. There's no question at all that Russia is still a adverse entity to the United States. And so, no different than Ronald Reagan, we have to work with him at the same time, we cannot trust Russia fully."

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Darrell Issa, (R) California:

"Well, I've said repeatedly that the calls for extradition are absurd. They're not going to happen. We don't extradite our spies when they get alleged or even caught doing things and vice versa. Having said that, I want to see the information on those indictments go forward. The fact that they'll never be brought to justice doesn't change the fact that we should know more about what we believe they did and how they did it. And that's where I stand is - let's flush this out and see if it's real. Let's remember that we're more than a year into an investigation that claims that ... there was collusion with the Russians without a shred of evidence that there was. So, you know, doubting something until it's been vetted and verified is reasonable. Having said that, I'm going to repeat I find Putin somebody we have to deal with, somebody who is obviously part of that old evil empire and hasn't changed his stripes."

The Senate intelligence committee says it agrees with a 2017 assessment by intelligence agencies that Russia intervened in the presidential election earlier to hurt the candidacy of Democrat Hillary Clinton and to help Donald Trump.

That's in contrast to the House intelligence committee, which agreed with the majority of the report but said last month that the agencies "did not employ proper analytic tradecraft" while assessing Russian president Vladimir Putin's intentions.

Lawmakers on that committee said they agreed that Putin had wanted to hurt Clinton, but did not agree that meant he wanted to help Trump.

The chairman of the committee and its ranking members released a joint statement following a classified meeting with former Obama administration officials about the intelligence agencies' assessment about Russian meddling in the 2016 president election.

Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan and former National Security Agency director Mike Rogers met with members of the committee. Former FBI Director James Comey had been invited as well, but his attorney, David Kelley, said he had a "prior commitment" and could not attend.

Committee members say the next step is to release a report on their findings so far.

Washington - 16 May 2018

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

1. Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan and former National Security Agency director Mike Rogers walk into classified meeting

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Mark Warner, (D) Virginia:

"I think we had a very productive hearing. And the bottom line is the leaders of the intelligence community during the last administration still stand by the assessments of the ICA (Intelligence Community Assessment) and while we've got some more work to do before we get out an actual document, I've heard nothing to contradict anything from the ICA particularly in terms of the fact that Russians massively intervened in our elections to the purpose of helping Mr. Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. They also used social media in ways that were unprecedented and scanned or intervened in our electoral systems. And this needs to be a higher priority of both the White House and this Congress to make sure it doesn't happen again."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Mark Warner, (D) Virginia:

"I absolutely believe that Russia intervened on the basis of helping Mr. Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. I think that ICA conclusion is accurate. And I think, frankly, Mr. Mueller's indictments of the IRA related accounts was further validation."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"I will say that in open hearings that we have had the intelligence community has been firm and unanimous in its conclusion that the Russians did play a role in trying to interfere not only with our elections in 2016, but with the British French and German elections as well. It's also very clear that the purpose of the Russian interference was to try to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions and that's why Western democracies in general have been targeted by the Russians. I also firmly believe that this effort is not over -- that it continues to this very day where the Russians are trying to sow the seeds of discontent in our society, take advantage of the polarization that exists and divide us further."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Joe Manchin, (D) West Virginia:

"You know we've always known Russians were involved. They've always been involved. They've been very active from the 60s the 70s on up. When did they double down? When did they really go after what we what we found out they have done? Well, we never had social media to this extent in any other election before and they've been able to take advantage of that and take advantage of our system, our First Amendment, and freedoms that we have were used against us for their advantage and we know that we're going to make sure that it never happens again."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

The Senate intelligence committee says it agrees with a 2017 assessment by intelligence agencies that Russia intervened in the presidential election earlier to hurt the candidacy of Democrat Hillary Clinton and to help Donald Trump.

That's in contrast to the House intelligence committee, which agreed with the majority of the report but said last month that the agencies "did not employ proper analytic tradecraft" while assessing Russian president Vladimir Putin's intentions.

Lawmakers on that committee said they agreed that Putin had wanted to hurt Clinton, but did not agree that meant he wanted to help Trump.

The chairman of the committee and its ranking members released a joint statement following a classified meeting with former Obama administration officials about the intelligence agencies' assessment about Russian meddling in the 2016 president election.

Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan and former National Security Agency director Mike Rogers met with members of the committee. Former FBI Director James Comey had been invited as well, but his attorney, David Kelley, said he had a "prior commitment" and could not attend.

Committee members say the next step is to release a report on their findings so far.

Washington - 16 May 2018

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

1. Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan and former National Security Agency director Mike Rogers walk into classified meeting

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Mark Warner, (D) Virginia:

"I think we had a very productive hearing. And the bottom line is the leaders of the intelligence community during the last administration still stand by the assessments of the ICA (Intelligence Community Assessment) and while we've got some more work to do before we get out an actual document, I've heard nothing to contradict anything from the ICA particularly in terms of the fact that Russians massively intervened in our elections to the purpose of helping Mr. Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. They also used social media in ways that were unprecedented and scanned or intervened in our electoral systems. And this needs to be a higher priority of both the White House and this Congress to make sure it doesn't happen again."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Mark Warner, (D) Virginia:

"I absolutely believe that Russia intervened on the basis of helping Mr. Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. I think that ICA conclusion is accurate. And I think, frankly, Mr. Mueller's indictments of the IRA related accounts was further validation."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"I will say that in open hearings that we have had the intelligence community has been firm and unanimous in its conclusion that the Russians did play a role in trying to interfere not only with our elections in 2016, but with the British French and German elections as well. It's also very clear that the purpose of the Russian interference was to try to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions and that's why Western democracies in general have been targeted by the Russians. I also firmly believe that this effort is not over -- that it continues to this very day where the Russians are trying to sow the seeds of discontent in our society, take advantage of the polarization that exists and divide us further."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Joe Manchin, (D) West Virginia:

"You know we've always known Russians were involved. They've always been involved. They've been very active from the 60s the 70s on up. When did they double down? When did they really go after what we what we found out they have done? Well, we never had social media to this extent in any other election before and they've been able to take advantage of that and take advantage of our system, our First Amendment, and freedoms that we have were used against us for their advantage and we know that we're going to make sure that it never happens again."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++