GOP Rep Jones joins House Democrats’ push to establish a bipartisan Russian hacking commission

A House bill to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate allegations of Russian interference in 2016’s presidential election has garnered its first Republican supporter. Rep Walter B. Jones (R-NC) co-sponsored the Protecting Our Democracy Act. He joins every member of the House Democratic Caucus in co-sponsoring the bill, which would set up a 12-member panel evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. The bill, introduced by Reps Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), gives the commission powers to investigate “any attempts or activities by the Russian government, persons or entities associated with the Russian government, or persons or entities within Russia to use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or sow distrust in elections for public office held in the United States in 2016.”