I shared this a couple of times here and here but it sure seems like a good time to revisit the subject. And thank you to digby for writing about it (March 3, 2017)
The New York Times article from Dec 13, 2016 about the Democratic candidates who were also targets of the Russian hacking is a story that seems to be overlooked. (Maybe someone else has been pointing it out)
The Times article covers what happened in a number of House races with Russian interference and the NRCC's use of the hacked documents and is worth the read.
But the quote that stands out and I just keep thinking of it is the one from Chairman of the DCCC Ben Ray Lujan in his letter to Paul Ryan from August 29, 2016-
“The N.R.C.C.’s use of documents stolen by the Russians plays right into the hands of one of the United States’ most dangerous adversaries,” Mr. Luján’s Aug. 29 letter said. “Put simply, if this action continues, the N.R.C.C. will be complicit in aiding the Russian government in its effort to influence American elections.”
bolding added
Nancy Pelosi also sent a letter in early September.
Paul Ryan's spokesperson, in a written response said-
“Speaker Ryan has said for months that foreign intervention in our elections is unacceptable.”
I have to agree with digby's thoughts-
I don’t think anyone believes it’s likely that Paul Ryan personally colluded with the Russians in this operation. The fact that many Republicans, some affiliated with the National Republican Congressional Committee and a group closely affiliated with Ryan, eagerly used it to win their campaigns is not surprising. But it is highly unlikely that Republican strategists or party officials with strong knowledge of the House campaigns didn’t collude with the hackers at some point, because it’s difficult to believe that Russians would have [sic] which House races to target without some help from people with expertise concerning the 2016 map.
Republican congressional leaders must be thanking their lucky stars daily that the Trump administration is such a scandal-ridden Dumpster fire. If things ever calm down in the White House, somebody might just turn his or her attention to the question of what Paul Ryan knew and when.
With this piece from Huffpo about Ryan's seeming lack of concern about the Comey firing, I can't help thinking about that question- what Paul Ryan knew and when.