In a shocking revelation, two Republican senators are demanding answers from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon’s research arm.

The senators are seeking clarity on DARPA’s alleged involvement in the infamous 2016 Democratic National Committee (DNC) email hack, which was initially blamed on Russian operatives working for Donald Trump.

The controversy surrounding the 2016 DNC email hack has been a contentious issue in American politics. The hack led to the leak of emails that were damaging for Hillary Clinton and the DNC, contributing to her loss to Trump.

Initially, hackers tied to Moscow were deemed the perpetrators. However, a report by Special Counsel John Durham debunked this narrative, sparking allegations that DARPA might have been behind the false narrative.

Dr. Manos Antonakakis, a computer scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, was reportedly investigating the DNC and Republican National Committee (RNC) databases.

An email obtained by Durham revealed Antonakakis expressing his dislike for Trump, raising questions about the objectivity of his investigation.

Despite these revelations, DARPA has consistently denied any involvement in the allegations that Russia was involved in the hack.

Senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley have now brought new evidence to light, suggesting that DARPA approved a project related to the RNC and DNC.

They have written a letter to Dr. Stefanie Tompkins, Director of DARPA, demanding answers about the agency’s work with the Georgia Institute of Technology on the Enhanced Attribution (EA) program related to the 2016 DNC hack.

The EA program is designed to probe malicious cyber attacks.

The senators have also requested information on whether Antonakakis conducted any work related to the DNC and RNC networks on behalf of DARPA. They are seeking all records of the work conducted by DARPA and Georgia Tech officials related to the RNC or DNC.

This comes after Durham referred two matters to the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Defense Intelligence Agency earlier this year, one of which involved a contract between DARPA and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Despite the mounting pressure, DARPA continues to deny any role in attributing the 2016 DNC hack to Russia. Antonakakis has also expressed dismay at being questioned about DARPA’s potential involvement in the investigation of the hack.

He maintains that such questions should be directed to DARPA’s director, not him.