Drawing a cyber line in the sand; Rep. Hurd says more needs to be done

Congressman believes Russia was involved in presidential election

SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Rep. Will Hurd has seen it all from South Texas and his congressional office in Washington D.C.

From cyberattacks, calling out the intelligence community and questions about Russia’s involvement in the presidential election -- they are just some of the major topics the congressman says need to be discussed.

“It's going to be briefed as the most successful Russian covert action campaign in the history of Mother Russia," Hurd said.

Days away from Donald Trump taking the presidential oath of office, Hurd is talking about a victory that will be celebrated by the Russians, and one that should serve as a warning to Americans. He believes the hacking of the Democratic Party drove a wedge between the White House, the intelligence community and the American public.

"The D-triple-C, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $6 million trying to unseat me. I have a valid case not to be a fan of theirs,” Hurd said. “But an attack on them is an attack on all of us, and we need to see it that way."

Hurd served three different presidents when he was a CIA agent and served a Democratic president as a U.S. representative. He will soon add working under a Republican president to his resume, but he is clear that, when it comes to those who gather information in dangerous places, country must come before party.

Spriester Sessions: One-on-one with Rep. Will Hurd

"We can't do that. We can't do that with intelligence, and we can't do that with the safety of our country. The Russians are an adversary. Period. End of story. And we've got to treat them that way," he said.

He said it's past time for a national policy on cyberattacks and what constitutes a “digital act of war.”

"If the North Koreans launch a missile into San Francisco, you and I know how the United States is going to respond. The North Koreans know how we will respond. But what is that in a digital world?”

Hurd said those decisions have not been made.

Hurd said President Barack Obama’s decision to expel diplomats after Russia was linked to the attck on the Demorcratic National Committee was appropriate, but more needs to be done.

"We need to make sure all my colleagues believe that as we go forward in making sure that we're not only defending our nation, but we're defending our digital borders as well," Hurd said.

Hurd points to San Antonio as a great example of the government and private sector working together to come up with cybersecurity solutions. He also thinks if anyone in the Trump campaign helped with the Russian attack on the DNC they should be prosecuted.


About the Author:

Steve Spriester started at KSAT in 1995 as a general assignments reporter. Now, he anchors the station's top-rated 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.