Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies MORE (D-Calif.) fired back at President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE for accusing the Obama administration of investigating his campaign to help Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE, saying Trump’s own failure to act on Russian election interference is a “dereliction of duty.”

“The FBI investigation began when it was discovered that the Russians had secret discussions with your foreign policy advisor about dissemination of stolen Clinton emails,” Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted at Trump on Monday.

Trump in a tweet earlier in the day had accused the Obama administration of trying to undermine his campaign, calling it “bigger than Watergate.”

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Schiff also hit Trump for claiming that former President Obama “did nothing” about the Russian election interference, asking Trump how he can “criticize Obama for not doing more, when you do absolutely nothing?”

“No cabinet meeting devoted to protecting 2018 elections from foreign interference. Bipartisan sanctions to punish and deter Russian meddling sitting in your desk drawer for months. $120 million allocated by Congress to fight Russian propaganda unspent,” the Democrat continued.

“This is dereliction of duty,” he added.

No, Mr. President. The FBI investigation began when it was discovered that the Russians had secret discussions with your foreign policy advisor about dissemination of stolen Clinton emails.



And how can you criticize Obama for not doing more, when you do absolutely nothing? https://t.co/q93F3FM69Q — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 5, 2018

No cabinet meeting devoted to protecting 2018 elections from foreign interference. Bipartisan sanctions to punish and deter Russian meddling sitting in your desk drawer for months. $120 million allocated by Congress to fight Russian propaganda unspent. This is dereliction of duty — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 5, 2018

Schiff was referring to a New York Times report that the State Department had not spent any of the $120 million it received to prevent foreign interference in U.S. elections.

Trump declined to implement new sanctions against Russia earlier this year, despite Congress passing a bipartisan bill giving him the power to do so.

A State Department spokesperson said at the time that the passage of the legislation was deterrent enough, and that the sanctions did not have to actually be imposed.

U.S. Cyber Command chief Adm. Michael Rogers, who also serves as director of the National Security Agency, testified before the Senate late last month that he had not received orders from Trump to stop Russian cyberattacks targeting U.S. elections.

“I need a policy decision that indicates there is specific direction to do that,” Rogers said at the time. “The president ultimately would make this decision in accordance with a recommendation from the secretary of Defense.”

Special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE charged 13 Russians and three Russian organizations last month with interfering in the U.S. presidential election.