WikiLeaks in releasing damaging Clinton-related information and responded, 53 “Nothing could be further from the truth.” 4. After the Election, Trump Continues to Deny Any Contacts or Connections with Russia or That Russia Aided his Election On November 8, 2016, Trump was elected President. Two days later, Russian officials told the press that the Russian government had maintained 54 contacts with Trump’s “immediate entourage” during the campaign. In response, Hope Hicks, who had been the Trump Campaign spokesperson, said, “We are not aware of any campaign representatives that were in touch with any foreign entities before yesterday, when Mr. Trump spoke with many world 55 leaders.” Hicks gave an additional statement denying any contacts between the Campaign and Russia: “It never happened. There was no communication 56 between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign.” On December 10, 2016, the press reported that U.S. intelligence agencies had “concluded that Russia interfered in last month’s presidential election to 57 boost Donald Trump’s bid for the White House.” Reacting to the story the next day, President-Elect Trump stated, “I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s just 58 another excuse.” He continued that no one really knew who was responsible for the hacking, suggesting that the intelligence community had “no idea if it’s Russia or China or somebody. It could be somebody sitting in a bed some 59 place.” The President-Elect also said that Democrats were “putting [] out” the story of Russian interference “because they suffered one of the greatest defeats 60 in the history of politics.” On December 18, 2016, Podesta told the press that the election was “distorted by the Russian intervention” and questioned whether Trump 61 Campaign officials had been “in touch with the Russians.” The same day, incoming Chief of Staff Reince Priebus appeared on Fox News Sunday and declined to say whether the President-Elect accepted the intelligence 62 community’s determination that Russia intervened in the election. When asked about any contact or coordination between the Campaign and Russia, Priebus said, “Even this question is insane. Of course we didn’t interface with the 63 Russians.” Priebus added that “this whole thing is a spin job” and said, “the