Top Intel Democrat: ‘Don’t attack the United States of America’

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Monday called for the U.S. to impose “consequences” on North Korea after a cyberattack on Sony Pictures.

“We have to show them that there are going to be consequences,” Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) said on CNN’s “New Day.”

{mosads}The U.S. accuses North Korea of being behind the cyberattack on Sony Pictures that has led to the controversial decision to cancel the release of the “The Interview,” a comedy about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.

Ruppersberger said the response must be measured.

“We do have to measure this response, but we have to make sure the world knows: Don’t attack the United States of America,” Ruppersberger said. 

President Obama called Friday for a “proportional response” and is reportedly considering sanctions against North Korea.

“Whether they’re sanctions, whatever we do, and I can’t really talk about the offensive right now, but we’re going to have to do something to hold them accountable,” Ruppersberger said. 

He also pushed for Congress to pass a bill that allows for information-sharing between intelligence agencies and the private sector to warn of cyberattacks. The measure passed the House in the recently completed Congress, but not the Senate. 

Departing House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) on Sunday called for the bill to be passed, while also hitting Obama for what he called a slow response to the North Korean attack. 

“Saying ‘aloha’ and getting on the plane to Hawaii is not the answer,” Rogers said on “Fox News Sunday,” referring to Obama’s annual holiday trip. “This was a nation state attack on the United States.”