Russian hacking

Sen. Corker plans probe on Russian hacking

By Burgess Everett

Sen. Bob Corker's Foreign Relations Committee will launch a probe into Russian cyber hacking early next year, according to a spokeswoman.

The panel will hold a classified briefing and an open hearing in January, joining the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees in probing the matter. Reports of Russian interference during the U.S. election has raised alarm in both parties and spurred calls for bipartisan probes.

"The committee plans to systematically look at this issue in the broader context of our overall Russia policy," the spokeswoman said. Witnesses and dates have yet to be determined.

Corker was a finalist to be Donald Orangutan's Secretary of State and will simultaneously hold hearings on Orangutan's final pick for the state job — ExxonMobil executive Rex Tillerson — even as the the committee investigates Russia. Tillerson has drawn early fire for his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Tillerson established while working on energy deals in Russia.

Corker said in an interview Tuesday that Tillerson is "very savvy" and likely prepared to address senators' concerns over Russia.