It does nothing but undermines the legitimacy of the American elections to suggest that Russia somehow hacked the US presidential elections, said Daniel McAdams, executive director of the Ron Paul Institute.

The US House of Representatives has passed an intelligence policy bill that includes setting up a panel to counter Russian political interference.

The new group is also supposed to prevent Russia from using so-called "covert influence" and from spreading corruption and falsehoods.

The text has echoes of an anti-Soviet campaign of more than half a century ago.

RT: What's the likelihood of this bill actually going through? The White House could veto it and Trump will be taking office in just a month from now…

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Daniel McAdams: This is the Intelligence Authorization Act, this is sort of the software for the American intelligence community budget for 2017. This bill directs the programming of the intelligence community, and then there is another bill that goes to fund it. So, this sort of lays the priorities for the intelligence community. Will it be passed? Yes, of course, it will. The intelligence authorization bills are always passed. The question is will the Senate bill be slightly different, and if it is, it goes to a Conference Committee where they iron out the differences. Will some of this anti-Russian language be taken out when it goes to committee – that remains to be seen. I suspect that it will not. But I also suspect that is nothing more than window dressing.

RT: What do you make of the timing? Is this a last-minute attempt to push anti-Russian legislation through before Trump comes to power?

DM: There is a hysteria going on in the US right now. And RT has also reported on it because RT is also in the middle of the storm as is the Ron Paul Institute which I represent. We’ve been outed as ‘Russian agents’ pushing Putin’s view of what America should be. Interestingly enough, President Obama said not long ago that the American elections accurately reflect the will of the American people. So, we wonder how long it will be before he's named as a Russian agent as well. This is a joke, but this is how the hysteria comes through in America. One of the prime movers behind this is Senator Tom Cotton, who is a neocon and Senator who was actually very close to President Trump and I think it shows his true colors. Because this does nothing but undermine the legitimacy of the American elections to suggest that the Russians have somehow hacked the elections. And of course, there is no evidence whatsoever, it is just hysteria. Cotton and the other neocons who are behind him are trying to set the stage for the next administration.

US legislation proposes new committee to counteract Russian 'covert influence' | US news | The Guardian https://t.co/GW8d6NlqJL — Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) December 1, 2016

RT: Aren't all the issues being addressed in this bill already being tackled by government agencies? What is the point of establishing another panel?

DM: We do have to pay 80 or so billion dollars a year for the intelligence community which includes counterintelligence, so that should have been covered in the check that we have to write. Of course, Russia is interested in what happens in the American elections. Are we supposed to believe that America is not interested in elections overseas? America directs elections overseas; it spends millions of dollars to influence elections overseas. Somehow, it is ok if we do it, but no one else is able to be interested in it. Without any evidence of Russia actually doing something to affect the election, it is simply in the interest of one party. Hillary Clinton was obviously in favor of a direct clash with Russia in Syria which could have led to WWIII. The other candidate said, “what is so bad about getting along with Russia?” And we are supposed to believe that Moscow is not going to pay attention to this. Of course, they are. But as to taking active measures to influence the elections, this is simply a witch hunt.