President Barack Obama's sanctions of the Russian government, which includes the State Department declaring officials from an Embassy in Washington and Consulate in San Francisco “persona non grata,” sent 35 Russian government employees packing.
“These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior,” Obama said. “All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions. In October, my Administration publicized our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences,” he added in a statement.
Further, according to information from the Obama administration, as of Friday, Dec. 30, Russian access to two Russian government-owned compounds in Maryland and New York were restricted.
A bi-partisan letter from incoming Senate minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Jack Reed, another Democrat, along with their colleagues from the other side of the aisle--Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham--called for the creation of a Senate Select Committee on Cyber to investigate the matter and develop a legislation to address gaps in current law, according to information from Schumer.
McCain, who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has reportedly planned a hearing regarding cyber security for this week. Attempts to confirm with the Senator were unsuccessful.
McCain and Graham released a joint statement after the sanctions were handed down. “The retaliatory measures announced by the Obama Administration today are long overdue. But ultimately, they are a small price for Russia to pay for its brazen attack on American democracy,” the statement reads. “We intend to lead the effort in the new Congress to impose stronger sanctions on Russia.”
President-elect Donald Trump is planning to meet with security officials but has expressed a desire to move past the issue. However, fellow Republican and perceived establishment standard-bearer to outsider Trump House Speaker Paul Ryan took a harsher tone toward Russia and the Obama administration. Responding to the recent sanctions, Ryan said the action is “overdue.”
"Russia does not share America’s interests. In fact, it has consistently sought to undermine them, sowing dangerous instability around the world,” Ryan said. “While … action by the administration is overdue, it is an appropriate way to end eight years of failed policy with Russia. And it serves as a prime example of this administration's ineffective foreign policy that has left America weaker in the eyes of the world."
Russian president Vladimir Putin reportedly said he does not plan immediate retaliation to U.S sanctions.