Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise Pelosi, Schumer 'encouraged' by Trump call for bigger coronavirus relief package Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (D-N.Y.) on Sunday expressed disappointment with the Republicans in Congress who have remained silent over Russian meddling in the election.

"The silence of my Republican colleagues is choosing party over country," he said during an interview on CNN's "State of the Union."

"Foreign manipulation of our elections, no matter who did it, is a very, very serious issue, it damages peoples faith in our government."

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Schumer said Republicans should be stepping up to the plate and asking for a special prosecutor.

"Where's the Howard Baker of 2017?" he asked.

He said he has had conversations with a good number of Republicans and has expressed the seriousness of the issue.

"There's a crisis of credibility with the president," he said.

"So many things, there's so much factual fabrication...we need our Republican colleagues, not everyday, but on the occasions when it's necessary, such as for a special prosecutor, such as what's happened in the last week, to speak out," he continued.

"This is an issue of country, not party."