Horowitz: Mueller’s Indictment of Russian Election Meddlers is a Wake-Up Call
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Rob Horowitz, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
View Larger +
Rob Horowitz
As President Trump’s own National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said this past weekend, “with the FBI indictment, the evidence is now incontrovertible.” McMaster is, of course, referring to Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s detailed and informative indictment of 13 Russians and 3 Russian entities for a highly sophisticated and wide-ranging social media effort to influence the 2016 Presidential election with the main goals of fomenting divisions, disparaging Hillary Clinton and helping Donald Trump. For any one who was still skeptical about Russian involvement in the 2016 elections, the indictment unveiled by the special counsel on Friday should put those doubts to rest.
The Muller indictment bookended a week that began with all of Trump’s appointed heads of our national intelligence agencies telling the Senate Intelligence Committee that Russia was still actively meddling in our politics with plans to interfere in the 2018 elections. “There should be no doubt that Russia perceives its past efforts as successful and views the 2018 U.S. midterm elections as a potential target for Russian influence operations,” Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence.
Despite the unanimous verdict of his intelligence chiefs that Russia is still at it, President Trump continues to refuse to provide any guidance or over-all leadership on safeguarding our elections. Pressed by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) at the same Senate Intelligence Committee on whether or not the president was providing any specific instructions on protecting the integrity of the 2018 elections from Russian interference, FBI Director Chris Wray said the bureau is undertaking “a lot of specific activities” to counter Russian meddling but was “not specifically directed by the president.” When all the others attempted to dodge the question, it became evident that Trump is not directing any kind of effort in this regard.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Similarly, his reaction to Mueller’s Friday indictment in a series of tweets over the past weekend was to attack, mislead and attempt to change the subject. President Trump was forced to finally admit that Russia did indeed meddle in the election, but he still did not criticize Putin or indicate in any way that it was a priority of his to protect our election process going forward.
With the mid-term elections nearing, we must launch a coordinated national response and do so with the sense of urgency that the situation requires. With the President continuing to abdicate his responsibility on this topic, it will take bi-partisan Congressional action combined with a cooperative and well-executed strategy from our intelligence agencies, working with state election officials. We know that the Russians probed our actual voter rolls and voting systems in the presidential election and the security of our disparate and locally run and controlled election systems must be hardened. The big social media firms must put in place requirements for paid for by disclosures on ads and do a better job of policing bots and fraudulent posting. If they won’t do so voluntarily, new laws must be put in place.
For our democracy to function, people must be able to trust that the results of our elections are accurate and that there is no undue foreign influence. These are the high stakes here as definitively outlined in the Mueller indictment and the testimony of our intelligence chiefs. Ensuring that we safeguard our democracy going forward is far more important than how the investigation impacts President Trump’s political fortunes. If he won’t do the job he was elected to do, everyone else will simply have to do much more.
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates.. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island
Related Slideshow: GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Sponsor: GoLocalProv
Sample: N=403
Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level
Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017
Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)
Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?
Unaffiliated: 49%
Democrat: 32%
Republican: 15%
Moderate: .4%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?
Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...
Definitely be voting: 78%
Probably be voting: 13%
50-50: 9%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?
Right track: 39%
Wrong track: 45%
Mixed: 10%
Don't know/Refused: .6%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?
Jobs and economy: 21%
Education: 12%
Taxes: 12%
Roads: 12%
State budget: 9%
Corruption/Public integrity: .8%
Healthcare: 3%
Governor: 3%
Homelessness: 2%
Immigration: 2%
Other: 7%
Don’t know: .9%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 35%
Changed for the worse: 16%
Not changed at all: 43%
Don't know/Refused: 5%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 26%
Changed for the worse: 19%
Not changed at all: 54%
Don't know/Refused: 1%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?
Net: Approve: 28%
Definitely approve: 15%
Probably approve: 14%
Net: Reject: 67%
Probably reject: 19%
Definitely reject: 48%
Don't know: 4%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Could you please tell me your age?
18-24: 7%
25-34: 15%
35-44: 15%
45-54: 20%
55-64: 17%
65+: 25%
Don't know/refused: 1%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
What was the last grade you completed in school?
0-11: 2%
High school grad: 16%
Technical/Vocational school: 1%
Some college: 23%
College grad: 34%
Graduate degree: 24%
Don't know/refused: 1%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).
$50,000 or less: 27%
More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%
More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%
More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%
$150,000 or more: 13%
Don't know/refused: 17%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?
American/None: 21%
English: 13%
Italian: 13%
Irish: 12%
Black or African American: 6%
Latino/Hispanic: 6%
French: 6%
Portuguese: 3%
Jewish: 3%
German: 1%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?
Excellent: 13%
Good: 12%
Fair: 14%
Poor: 57%
Never heard of: 0%
Cannot rate: 3%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Jack Reed has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?
Excellent: 22%
Good: 29%
Fair: 23%
Poor: 15%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 6%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Sheldon Whitehouse has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?
Excellent: 17%
Good: 22%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 28%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 7%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that David Cicilline has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?
Excellent: 9%
Good: 29%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 27%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 8%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that James Langevin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?
Excellent: 7%
Good: 30%
Fair: 20%
Poor: 18%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 11%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Gina Raimondo has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Governor?
Excellent: 6%
Good: 28%
Fair: 30%
Poor: 31%
Never heard of: 1%
Cannot rate: 3%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Daniel McKee has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Lieutenant Governor?
Excellent: 3%
Good: 16%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 8%
Never heard of: 26%
Cannot rate: 25%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Peter Kilmartin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Attorney General?
Excellent: 3%
Good: 20%
Fair: 28%
Poor: 17%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 19%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Seth Magaziner has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as General Treasurer?
Excellent: 4%
Good: 18%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 13%
Never heard of: 21%
Cannot rate: 21%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Nellie Gorbea has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Secretary of State?
Excellent: 5%
Good: 21%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 10%
Never heard of: 20%
Cannot rate: 23%
View Larger +
Prev
Next
Would you say that Jorge Elorza has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Mayor of Providence?
Excellent: 4%
Good: 24%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 22%
Never heard of: 9%
Cannot rate: 15%
Related Articles
- Horowitz: Trump Makes Wrong Choice on Healthcare Again
- Horowitz: Corker Sounds Alarm We Should All Heed
- Horowitz: Bush, Obama, and McCain Speak Up for American Values
- Horowitz: Russia is No Hoax
- Horowitz: State & Local Leaders Fill Void at International Climate Conference
- Horowitz: Latinos Continue to Make Impressive Progress
- Horowitz: The Divider in Chief Strikes Again
- Horowitz: Trump’s Base Begins to Erode
- Horowitz: Donald, Chuck, and Nancy
- A Lively Experiment - Hummel, Nagle, Horowitz, Ford, and Blais
- Horowitz: Backsliding on Birth Control Makes No Sense
- Horowitz: It’s Time to Revive the “Death” Tax
- Horowitz: Flake & McCain Sound the Alarm on Trump’s Attacks on Free Press
- Horowitz: Trump Turns Celebration of MLK Into Surreal Occasion
- Horowitz: State of the Union Provides Trump With an Opportunity to Reset
- Horowitz: The Memo Farce
- Horowitz: Broadening Opportunity Pays Off for Our Economy
- Horowitz: The False Choice - Focusing on Hurricane Victims or Climate Change
- Horowitz: Trump Gives Dems Winning Hand Unless They Overplay It
- Horowitz: 5 Reasons for New Year’s Optimism
- Horowitz: Believing You Can Get Smarter Improves School Performance
- Horowitz: Flynn Plea Agreement Spells Trouble for Trump Administration
- Horowitz: Immigrants Drive American Entrepreneurship
- Horowitz: Attacks on Mueller Don’t Pass the Laugh Test
- Horowitz on Florida Shooting, Immigration, RI’s Governor-Providence City Democrats Deal
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.