The Russians have tried to manipulate our elections for decades. This is nothing new. Nor, in the case of the 2016 elections was it exceptional. Nor is it unique to Russia, nor is it unique to foreign countries acting in ways to affect our elections. The Clintons sent campaign staff to Israel to affect their elections, and Obama sent U.S. funds to support at least one opposition campaign in an Israeli election.
The hoax isn’t that the Russians interfered with our election. The hoax is that it amounted to a hill of beans, was abnormal, and was coordinated or facilitated by the Trump Campaign.
Actually, the Truth is that the Russians and All other foreign nations do NOT manipulate elections.
THEY do Exactly as we (USA) do— they run an INFLUENCE OPERATION, on Voters, based on constantly gathered intelligence.
That includes working also to influence other influencers in a target country, that is in departments and institutions (ex: like the “Media Complex”).