Russia is determined to interfere in U.S. elections, despite sanctions and other efforts to deter Moscow, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Tuesday.
"The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections," through a foreign influence campaign, Wray said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Wray was testifying at an oversight hearing a day before Robert Mueller, the former special counsel, was due to testify publicly before Congress about his two-year investigation of Russian interference to sway the 2016 presidential race toward President Donald Trump.
"Everything we've done against Russia has not deterred them enough?" asked Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican committee chairman. "All the sanctions, all the talk, they're still at it?"
"Yes. My view is until they stop they haven't been deterred enough," Wray responded.
"CHINA POSES A SERIOUS THREAT"
Wray says China poses a more serious counterintelligence threat to the United States than any other country, including Russia.
Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday the FBI has more than 1,000 investigations involving economic espionage and attempted intellectual property theft. He says nearly all lead back to China.
Wray is appearing on Capitol Hill for an oversight hearing one day before former special counsel Robert Mueller testifies on the Russia report. Wray has declined to discuss that report but has spoken in some detail about the threat he says is posed by China.
Justice Department national security officials have brought multiple cases involving Chinese economic espionage in the last year, including one announced this month against a man accused of stealing information from an American locomotive company.
