WASHINGTON, D.C. (1010 WINS) – Bernie Sanders was brief Friday by U.S. officials, who told him that Russia is trying to help his campaign for the White House as Moscow continues to interfere in the Democratic primary and broader 2020 election.
The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump and Congressional leaders have also been told about the efforts by Russia to help Sanders beat his rivals for the nomination.
"I don't care, frankly, who (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to be president," Sanders said in a statement to the Post. "My message to Putin is clear: Stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do."
"In 2016, Russia used Internet propaganda to sow division in our country, and my understanding is that they are doing it again in 2020. Some of the ugly stuff on the Internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters," Sanders continued.
Sanders' droves of online supporters have been in the spotlight this week as his rivals accuse them of using toxic rhetoric and intimidation on social media. Sanders indirectly blamed Russia for his supporters' reported behavior, suggesting at Wednesday's Democratic debate in Nevada that Russia may be trying to pit Democrats against one another.
"All of us remember 2016, and what we remember is efforts by Russians and others to try to interfere in our elections and divide us up," Sanders said. "I'm not saying that's happening, but it would not shock me."
Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence officials are warning that Russia is continuing to support the Trump campaign, a report Trump denounced, calling it "disinformation" and saying Putin would prefer the "do-nothing Democrats."
Analysts told the Post that Russia's goal is to "foster divisions among Americans" and cause "maximum disruption within the United States" to damage America's standing in the world.
