A group of citizens from the Bowling Green area met with Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie on Wednesday to express concern about issues that have arisen with the administration of President Trump.
Maureen Davis is a spokeswoman for the group of seven area residents that met with Guthrie. “Basically our number one concern is making sure that he supports an independent investigation into the interference of Russia in our election. There’s a bill that’s been presented in the House to that effect.”
That proposed legislation, H.R. 356, is a House of Representatives bill that would establish a national commission to investigate foreign interference in the 2016 election.
Guthrie didn’t promise the group that he will support that particular bill, but he did say a bipartisan committee is being formed to look into the issue.
Michael Gramling said one of the reasons he came to the meeting was also concern about connections with Russia.
“I believe that there is plenty of information and evidence out there that there has been illegal contact with Russia before the election.”
Gramling said he was a young man during Watergate and the investigation of then-President Richard Nixon took a lot of effort and “following the money.” But Gramling said the efforts were well-founded.
“We found a president who was violating the Constitution and in the end, democratic institutions prevailed,” said Gramling, who wants to see that kind of extensive follow-up now to the information that’s arisen about Russia and the Trump administration.
Guthrie said the meeting of more than half an hour gave everyone a chance to discuss the concerns.
“And I told them there’s going to be an investigation by the House Intelligence Committee, bipartisan - Republican and Democrat, the chairman and the ranking member, are putting together a work plan for the House Intelligence Committee to investigate Russian influence. We know Russia influenced the election. There’s no evidence they changed the outcome.”
Guthrie and the local residents described the meeting as “cordial.”
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