memeorandum: Bipartisan group of senators calls for probe of Russian role in 2016 US elections (CNN)

12:25 PM ET, December 11, 2016

Top Items:

Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:

Donald Trump Ties C.I.A. Reports on Russian Meddling to Democrats' Shame — WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he did not believe American intelligence assessments that Russia had intervened to help his candidacy …

Discussion: Political Wire, NBC News, Washington Post and The Hill

CNN:

Bipartisan group of senators calls for probe of Russian role in 2016 US elections — (CNN)A bipartisan quartet of high-profile senators said Sunday that “recent reports of Russian interference in our election should alarm every American.” — The group — two Republicans and two Democrats …

Discussion: alan.com

Burgess Everett / Politico:

Trump vs. Congress on Russian hacking — Influential senators from both parties amplified calls for an independent investigation of Russian meddling in the U.S. elections, setting up a clash with President-elect Donald Trump over U.S. policy toward Russia and potentially his pick for secretary of state.

Discussion: BuzzFeed, RedState, Washington Post, Business Insider, The Week and ABC News

Benjamin Siegel / ABC News:

Bipartisan Senate Group Calls for Probe of Russian Hacking in US — A group of Democratic and Republican senators are calling for bipartisan support for an investigation into cyberattacks against the United States by foreign governments following reports of alleged Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Discussion: Politico, Associated Press, Daily Kos and armed-services.senate.gov

Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:

FBI and CIA give differing accounts to lawmakers on Russia's motives in 2016 hacks — In a secure meeting room under the Capitol last week, lawmakers held in their hands a classified letter written by colleagues in the Senate summing up a secret, new CIA assessment of Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election.

Discussion: RedState, BizPac Review, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Liberal Values, Hot Air, NBC News and Politico

Fox News:

Trump: Claims of Russian interference in 2016 race ‘ridiculous,’ Dems making excuses — President-elect Donald Trump, in an exclusive interview with “Fox News Sunday,” decried as “ridiculous” the CIA's reported assessment that Russia intervened in the election to boost his candidacy …

Discussion: The Atlantic, Washington Post, Political Wire, The Week, TheBlaze, The National Interest, EgbertoWillies.com and Talking Points Memo

ABC News:
‘This Week’ Transcript: Reince Priebus, Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen. Claire McCaskill

Discussion: Politicus USA

The Daily Beast:
How Russian Hackers Can Blackmail Donald Trump—and the GOP

Discussion: ABC News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Slate, Washington Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, emptywheel, Hot Air and RedState

David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Trump, Mocking Claim That Russia Hacked Election, at Odds with G.O.P.

Discussion: Business Insider, alan.com, Balloon Juice, Politicus USA and The Mahablog

Jessie Hellmann / The Hill:

Former ambassador to Russia: Putin wanted ‘revenge’ against Clinton — Russia interfered in the U.S. elections to get revenge against Hillary Clinton — , a former U.S. ambassador to the Kremlin said Sunday. — Michael McFaul, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014 …

Discussion: RedState and The Daily Caller

Ken Meyer / Mediaite:

Chris Wallace Asks Trump: Why Pick Business Exec. Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State? — In his upcoming interview for Fox News Sunday, President-Elect Donald Trump elaborated on why he has considered Exxon Mobil chief Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State.

Discussion: The Week, alan.com and New York Times

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
McMullin: ‘Trump is not a loyal American’

Discussion: RedState, Raw Story and TheBlaze

Tom Boggioni / Raw Story: Intelligence expert: Trump's choice of Putin buddy to head State adds to his White House ‘Kremlin cabal’

Julia Ioffe / Politico: What It Really Means to Be a ‘Friend of Putin’

Rebecca Morin / Politico:
McCain: Tillerson relationship with Putin a ‘matter of concern’

Discussion: TheBlaze, Facebook and The Hill

Harper Neidig / The Hill:
McCain: Tillerson ties to Putin a ‘matter of concern’

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, ThinkProgress, alan.com, ABC News, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hit & Run, MSNBC and RedState

New York Times:
Rex Tillerson, Exxon Chief, Is Expected to Be Pick for Secretary of State

Discussion: The Guardian, Israpundit, CNN, BizPac Review, Business Insider, New York Magazine and Talking Points Memo

Steven Mufson / Washington Post:
Trump expected to pick ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state

Discussion: RedState, NPR, TheBlaze, NBC News, Daily Kos and Political Wire

Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Who is Rex Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chairman who may become secretary of state?

Discussion: The Guardian, The Last Tradition, Politico, Mashable, Business Insider, Political Wire and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Jennifer Jacobs / Bloomberg:

Rick Perry Said to Be Trump's Top Candidate for Energy Secretary — Democratic Senators Manchin, Heitkamp also under consideration — President-elect met with contenders at Army-Navy game — Donald Trump has narrowed his search for energy secretary to four people …

Discussion: alan.com and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Richard Rainey / New Orleans Times-Picayune:

John Kennedy defeats Foster Campbell for Louisiana's open U.S. Senate seat — Donald Trump thanks supporters and rallys for John Kennedy in Baton Rouge rally — Donald Trump and US Senate candidate John Kennedy wave to supporters during a Get Out the Vote rally Friday, December 9 …

Discussion: Hot Air and The Gateway Pundit

Thomas Gibbons-Neff / Washington Post:
Louisiana Republican wins final unsettled U.S. Senate race

Discussion: The Advocate and Washington Monthly

Associated Press:
Republican John Kennedy Wins Louisiana Senate Race in Runoff

Discussion: Politico and The Guardian

Lisa Hagen / The Hill:

Trump sparks imitator in Ohio Senate race — Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) is looking to replicate Donald Trump — 's campaign strategy, hoping to reap the benefits of the president-elect's success in his second Senate bid. — Mandel is looking to unseat Sen. Sherrod Brown

Discussion: alan.com

Nicholas Kristof / New York Times:

The Dangers of Echo Chambers on Campus — After Donald Trump's election, some universities echoed with primal howls. Faculty members canceled classes for weeping, terrified students who asked: How could this possibly be happening? — I share apprehensions about President-elect Trump …

Discussion: Washington Post

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:

Heitkamp is Trump's top choice for Agriculture secretary: report — (D-N.D.) has emerged as President-elect Donald Trump — 's top choice for Agriculture secretary, Politico reported Saturday. — Heitkamp joining Trump's administration would require a special election to fill her Senate seat, which could flip to a Republican.

Discussion: alan.com and RedState