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Senator Reid Says Putin Himself Was Involved In Hacking

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says he believes Vladimir Putin was personally involved in efforts to intrude into the presidential election and help Donald Trump win the White House.

The Nevada Democrat said Thursday "the answer clearly is yes" when asked about the Russian president's involvement. He adds that because Putin is a former KGB chief, his alleged actions should surprise no one.

U.S. intelligence sources said earlier Thursday that Putin likely made the call for the cyberattack.

Reid also criticized FBI Director James Comey for doing "nothing" to prevent Russia from hacking Democratic campaign documents while focusing on Hillary Clinton's private email server.

Reid says Comey, a registered Republican, "became so partisan" that he should head the Republican National Committee.

Reid is retiring at the end of the year. He spoke at a Capitol event honoring a conservation project in Nevada.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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