MINNEAPOLIS, July 13 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released the following statement regarding Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s announcement Friday of new charges against 12 Russian intelligence officers:

“The indictments announced today by the Justice Department confirm once again that Russia interfered in our elections to benefit Donald Trump. The fact that these indictments name 12 members of Russia’s military intelligence service strongly suggests that the interference was directed from the highest levels of the Russian government. It’s imperative that Special Counsel Mueller be allowed to continue his investigation free of pressure.

“We must also speak with one voice in making clear to Vladimir Putin: ‘We will not allow you to interfere in our democratic processes or those of our allies.’ The president himself should be the one to bring this message to Putin.”