Paul Ryan: 'No question' Russians meddled in 2016 U.S. election

MILWAUKEE -- Top Wisconsin Republicans took different views on Monday, July 16 after Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that his country had not meddled in the 2016 election.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said there was "no question" that the Russians had interfered. Ryan criticized President Donald Trump hours after the president met with Putin in Finland.

“The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally," Ryan said.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson shared Ryan's opinion about Russian meddling, telling reporters that Putin's assessment was "completely wrong."

"We have documented evidence," Johnson said after an event in Milwaukee. "It’s serious. It’s unacceptable. We made the same case when I was in Moscow a couple weeks ago."

Gov. Scott Walker took a different approach when FOX6 News asked whether he agreed with President Trump, who said Monday during a joint news conference with Putin that "I don't see any reason why" Russia would have interfered.

"I’ll leave that up to federal folks. That’s not in my jurisdiction," Walker said after an event in Sussex. "I think the members of Congress certainly need to look into the details of that, but that’s not something I have any privvied information about."

Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin was critical of President Trump's comments.

"Putin directed an attack on our American democracy & Russia interfered with our elections," Baldwin tweeted. "President Trump needs to stop treating Putin like a friend and start holding him accountable."

Walker and Baldwin are both running for re-election this fall.