Despite hacking charges, U.S. tech industry fought to keep ties to Russia spy service

FILE PHOTO: Police guard the FSB headquarters during an opposition protest in Moscow, Russia, on March 5, 2012. REUTERS/Mikhail Voskresensky/File Photo

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WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - As U.S. officials investigated in January the FSB's alleged role in election cyber attacks, U.S. technology firms were quietly lobbying the government to soften a ban on dealing with the Russian spy agency, people with direct knowledge of the effort told Reuters.