HF 2668

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 05/15/2017 10:31am

A resolution
calling on Congress to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference
in the 2016 United States presidential election and the extent to which members of the
current executive branch were aware of such interference.

WHEREAS, United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency,
have concluded with high confidence that Russia interfered in the American presidential election
that was held in November 2016; and

WHEREAS, evidence collected by United States intelligence agencies suggests that this
interference was ordered by the highest levels of the Russian government, with the direct knowledge
and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin; and

WHEREAS, United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies have determined that
this interference was intended to aid Donald Trump and harm his opponent, Hillary Clinton; and

WHEREAS, according to United States intelligence agencies and Russian diplomats, multiple
high-ranking members of the Donald Trump presidential campaign had regular contact with senior
Russian intelligence officials throughout the presidential campaign; and

WHEREAS, multiple Trump campaign and administration officials, including National
Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Campaign Manager Paul Manafort, and Foreign Policy Adviser
Carter Page, resigned their posts after scandals related to their connections with Russia; and

WHEREAS, in light of evidence discovered during the transition period, President Obama's
administration felt it necessary to take unprecedented measures to disseminate and protect sensitive
information pertaining to Russian interference in the American election to ensure it was not destroyed
or concealed by the incoming Trump administration; and

WHEREAS, then Senator and Attorney General nominee, Jeff Sessions, stated under oath
in his confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee that he had no
contact with Russian officials during the campaign, when in fact he had multiple meetings with
Russian officials during the campaign; and

WHEREAS, throughout the presidential campaign and since taking office, President Trump
has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the well-documented atrocities
and violations of international law that President Putin has committed; and

WHEREAS, evidence strongly suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally
ordered numerous assassinations of political opponents, journalists, and dissidents; and

WHEREAS, in violation of international law, Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the
annexation of Crimea, and has waged a covert war in eastern Ukraine that has already cost tens of
thousands of lives, including those of 298 international passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17;
and

WHEREAS, Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the Russian intervention in Syria to
support the regime of Bashar al-Assad, during which Russian forces indiscriminately bombed
thousands of Syrian civilians in hospitals, schools, orphanages, and other noncombatant targets;
and

WHEREAS, reports have surfaced that Russian forces in Syria have bombed United
States-backed rebels; and

WHEREAS, despite substantial evidence of human rights abuses, targeted assassinations,
and interference with our election, President Trump has steadfastly refused to criticize Mr. Putin,
going so far as to equate the actions of American officials with those of Mr. Putin; and

WHEREAS, President Trump has refused to release his tax returns to demonstrate he is free
from dangerous conflicts of interest that could undermine America's national security and the
President's executive judgment; and

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Representative
Darrell Issa, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Speaker Paul Ryan, as well as several prominent former
and current elected officials, have all called for an investigation into Russian interference in the
2016 election; and

WHEREAS, this attack on American democracy is unprecedented in its scale and effect, and
has undermined the confidence of Americans in the integrity of our electoral process; and

WHEREAS, on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, President Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James
Comey, who had just asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in resources for the
FBI's Russia investigation; and

WHEREAS, the power to administer elections is reserved to the states respectively, by the
United States Constitution and the states therefore have a right to expect fair and honest elections
and a compelling interest in the legitimacy of the results of those elections; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it urges the appointment
of a special prosecutor in order to conduct a full, independent, and public investigation of any and
all connections between the Trump administration, the Trump campaign organization, and the
Trump business empire and the Russian government, as well as Russian government-owned
enterprises and related interests.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, given the extremely sensitive nature of this investigation
and its implication for the integrity of American democracy, a bipartisan commission, led by a
special prosecutor, is needed to investigate the full extent of Russia's influence on the Trump White
House and Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election, as well as the extent
to which members of the Trump White House and the Trump campaign organization were aware
of Russian interference and influence.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is directed
to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President and the Secretary of the United
States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the chair
of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, the chair of the House Committee on Judiciary, and
Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.