Gonzalez Hits Ground Running - Presses for Bipartisan Commission to Investigate Russian Intervention in US Elections

WASHINGTON--Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-15) cosponsored legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate foreign interference in the 2016 election.

The measure, known as the Protecting Our Democracy Act, would create a 12-member commission empowered to interview witnesses, obtain documents, issue subpoenas, and receive public testimony to examine attempts by the Russian government or others to use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or undermine trust in last year's U.S. elections.

Congressman Gonzalez issued the following statement on the legislation and the findings of the Intelligence Community's recently released report:

"The report released last week included powerful evidence that the Russian government, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, interfered with the 2016 election and sought to destabilize our country's democratic process," said Congressman Gonzalez. "Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our nation. We have a duty to pursue a non-partisan and transparent investigation of this matter and to bolster our cyber defenses to protect our democracy and our economy against future attacks. If it is found that Russia in fact did intervene in our elections, we have a duty to the American people to respond in kind. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is an American value we must defend."