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Electoral College Members Are Asking for Briefings on Trump's Russia Ties

"Trump's willingness to disregard conclusions made by the intelligence community and his continuing defense of Russia... demand close scrutiny and deliberation from the Electoral College."

On Monday, ten members of the Electoral College penned a letter to national intelligence director James Clapper requesting an intelligence briefing about any ongoing investigations into Donald Trump's ties with Russia. According to Politico, the electors want the information by December 19, when all 538 members meet in their respective state capitals to cast the country's official vote for president.

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The letter, signed by one Republican and nine Democratic electors, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's daughter, follows the CIA's apparent conclusion that Russian hacking operations were intended to help Trump win the election and references statements the president-elect made on the campaign trial suggesting he was encouraging hackers—like the one he made in Florida back in July.

"Trump's willingness to disregard conclusions made by the intelligence community and his continuing defense of Russia and Russian president Vladimir Putin demand close scrutiny and deliberation from the Electoral College," the electors wrote.

Over the weekend, Trump revealed that he's not been reading the daily presidential intelligence briefings and continues to deny Russia's role in the election, despite the CIA's assessment.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," his transition team said in a statement. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"

About an hour after the letter was sent, the Clinton campaign came out in support of the request, Politico reports.

"We now know that the CIA has determined Russia's interference in our elections was for the purpose of electing Donald Trump. This should distress every American," Clinton's former campaign chairman and hacking victim, John Podesta, said in a statement Monday.

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Photo via Flickr user Gage Skidmore