Rubio: Hackers twice targeted former campaign staff

Sen. Marco Rubio says former members of his failed presidential bid have twice come under attack from possible Russian hackers.

Staffers “who had access to internal information” to Rubio’s 2016 White House campaign “were targeted by [internet protocol] addresses” from a location inside Russia last July, the Florida Republican said Thursday during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Moscow’s alleged election-year cyberattacks.


The attacks came shortly after Rubio announced he would seek re-election to the Senate.

Rubio added that a second hacking attempt was made on Wednesday morning, again from IP addresses within Russia.

Both attempts were unsuccessful, according to Rubio.

His comments came hours after Clint Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told the Intelligence Committee that Moscow’s influence efforts in last year’s presidential race stretched back to the primary season. Watts then singled out Rubio, an Intelligence panel member.

“Russia’s overt media outlets sought to sideline opponents on both sides of the political spectrum,” he said. “Senator Rubio, in my opinion, you suffered through these efforts.”

The remark seemed to surprise Rubio, as well as several other panel members.

Rubio declined to comment after Watts gave his testimony.

Speaking to reporters after the first panel, Watts said the entire GOP field had been targeted. Indeed, Sen. Lindsey Graham — who also ran his own unsuccessful bid for the White House — has said his campaign came under digital assault.