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Our Opinion: Distrust

President-elect Donald Trump was to be briefed Friday on what U.S. intelligence agencies know about alleged Russian efforts to influence the Nov. 8 election.

Do not expect Trump to change his mind about the matter.

He already has said he does not believe allegations Russian hackers released information hijacked from Democrat Party computers in an attempt to sway the election his way.

His mind is made up and his distrust, with some foundation, of the intelligence community’s reliability may seal the deal for him.

Meanwhile, Democrat leaders are just as adamant  that Hillary Clinton lost the election in part because of Russian interference.

It strains credulity to believe the Russian government — and others, for that matter — is not spying on Americans in politics and business. That’s what intelligence agencies do.

But Moscow’s exact involvement in the election remains a truly open question.

It is unlikely it ever will be resolved fully, because U.S. spymasters will be reluctant to disclose their sources and methods.

The next best thing would be a bipartisan congressional investigation. Fortunately, one is in the works. Completing it expeditiously and as apolitically as possible should be viewed by lawmakers as a mandate from the American people.

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