House Homeland Security chairman says Russian hackers breached RNC, later claims he 'misspoke'
The House Homeland Security chair said Wednesday that hackers affiliated with Russia have also breached the Republican National Committee, though he later said he "misspoke."
“It’s important to note, Wolf, that they have not only hacked into the DNC, but also into the RNC,” Rep. Michael McCaul first told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
The Texas Republican continued: “So they are not discriminating one party against the other. The Russians have basically hacked into both parties at the national level.”
Blitzer, seemingly taken aback by the revelation, asked McCaul to confirm that Russians had hacked into RNC files, such as email.
“Yes,” McCaul replied. “They have hacked into the Republican National Committee.”
GOP spokesman Sean Spicer tweeted that the claim was “not true.” Soon after, McCaul said in a statement that he "misspoke."
"What I had intended to say was that in addition to the DNC hack, Republican political operatives have also been hacked," he said.
Hackers thought to have been affiliated with Russia breached the Democratic National Committee earlier this year and released a large batch of emails that were published online by WikiLeaks. Those emails, which showed the Democratic apparatus plotting against Sen. Bernie Sanders during the primaries, ultimately led to the resignation of then-Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Editor's Note: This story was updated at 7:02 p.m. ET with new information.
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