Senators Send Bipartisan Letter Calling on Administration to Respond to Allegations of Chinese Government Election Interference
Led by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), a bipartisan group of Senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other national security leaders in the Trump Administration expressing concern about ongoing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to undermine democracy. In the letter, the Senators encouraged the Administration to work closely with Taiwan to investigate the allegations of interference and respond if necessary.
“CCP attempts to erode democratic processes and norms around the world threaten U.S. partnerships and prosperity,” the letter said “Allegations such as those surrounding Taiwan’s recent elections must therefore be pursued with seriousness and urgency. …We write to express our support for efforts to counter interference of this nature and to state unequivocally that we stand shoulder to shoulder with democracies fighting attempts to undermine their sovereignty and freedom. We encourage your departments to do all you can to support Taiwan in investigating these allegations and taking necessary action in response.”
The senators continued, “It is not our intent, nor our role, to question the veracity or fairness of the electoral outcome. Rather, in an era of growing authoritarian interference, we believe such allegations must be taken seriously if free societies are to continue to thrive. If true, CCP interference in Taiwan’s elections would be deeply concerning not only for Taiwan’s future, but also for fellow democracies around the world where the CCP may choose to interfere.”
The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
A copy of the letter can be found here.
