US Senators are planning to visit Russia, per Russian speaker Matviyenko tass.com/politics/10103…
GOP Senators to visit Russia for July 4—Independence Day. First official US delegation since the Kremlin attacked our democracy to elect Trump will reportedly include @SenShelby, @SenJohnKennedy, @SenatorHoeven. Nobody from Foreign Relations, Intel Cmtes nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-…
Are GOP senators visiting Russia now as another prelude to a Trump-Putin summit? Why are Republicans making nice with the authoritarian govt that attacked our election, wages war on our allies, & is partially responsible for our daily Trump nightmare?? And on Independence Day ffs
America's been in crisis since Russia's attack to help elect Trump, giving GOP control of entire govt. And Russia is poised to do it AGAIN! So WHY exactly are GOP Senators going to visit Russia & meet w/ Kremlin officials—on July 4th?? Is it insanity, surrender or more collusion?
Behind every crisis Trump creates—is THE underlying crisis to grapple with—a Russian intelligence operation helped elect the guy now wreaking havoc on America, our alliances & our values. Even if his campaign wasn't part of the op, why visit w Kremlin? Why reward our attackers?🤯
If GOP Senators go to #Russia, they best free Ukraine’s political prisoners. Russia is once again a threat to the world, its own citizens & neighbors. Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg #Sentsov’s health is worsening. He’s on hunger strike after sham trial & prison term of 20yrs! in Russia
Why in the world are US Senators planning to visit w/ Kremlin officials while Russia holds 64 political prisoners from Ukraine—for the crime of being Ukrainian & opposing Russian occupation. Free #Balukh#Sentsov & the rest or stay home, for goodness sake.
The Kremlin is "very satisfied" that Republican senators are visiting Russia—Putin spox Peskov. I bet he is. ещё бы! Just mind-boggling that GOP senators are spending the July 4th holiday meeting with Lavrov and Kremlin lawmakers. While Trump trashes NATO yahoo.com/news/us-senato…
Key word "Conciliatory" is a preview of Trump-Putin summit: "Republican senators sounded a newly conciliatory tone in meetings with Russian lawmakers & officials in rare visit to Moscow"
Russian lawmaker on GOP Senators visit: This meeting “was one of the easiest ones in my life.” Election interference was resolved quickly b/c “the question was raised in a general form. One shouldn’t interfere in elections—well, we don’t interfere." #Russia#propaganda#lies
Republican @SenShelby: “I’m not here today to accuse Russia of this or that or so forth. I’m saying that we should all strive for a better relationship."
FYI: Russia relations are bad b/c Putin changed the map of Europe by force, among other horrors. Appeasement never ends well.
@SenShelby Former Russian ambassador Kislyak—key figure in Russia's operation to help Trump (talked to Flynn re lifting sanctions, talked to Kushner abt backchannel)—was among the Russians meeting with Republican senators. He noted that he knew many of them from Washington. (I bet he does)
GOP Senator Kennedy: "I asked OUR FRIENDS IN RUSSIA not to interfere in our elections this year. I asked them to exit Ukraine and allow Ukraine to self-determine. [S]ame thing in Crimea. I asked for their help in bringing peace to Syria…not to allow Iran to gain a foothold.”
Rachel @Maddow tonight discusses terrific WaPo report by @antontroian on GOP Senators' (unwarranted & unnervingly) conciliatory meeting in Russia with Kremlin officials, ahead of Trump-Putin summit. My THREAD on highlights of same below👇#maddow
We’re not the only ones who see Republican lawmakers’ visit to Russia as appeasement ahead of the appeasement summit between Trump and Putin >> “Russian officials and state media mock 'weak' GOP senators after Moscow visit” rawstory.com/?p=1309410 via @rawstory
While everyone watches the World Cup, a political prisoner starves in Russia.
Q: How many Republican Senators on their appeasement tour mentioned Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, on hunger strike to free dozens of fellow political prisoners? #FreeSentsovwapo.st/2zjgIFE?tid=ss…
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Nikki Haley resigns as UN ambassador, after meeting with Trump in WH—reportedly planned for 6 mos. Odd timing, tho, for Trump to lose a top woman after Kavanaugh & right before midterms? She’s been a notable loud voice against Russia’s malign acts. Will her replacement be also?
Nikki Haley profusely praises Trump and the family. Ivanka’s great and “Jared is a hidden genius that no one understands.” A bit over the top. But you can’t work for Trump unless you blather on like a sycophant. I bet she can’t wait to get the hell out of the embarrassment admin.
⚡️Mueller is unraveling a MAJOR & dark thread in Russia investigation. (Dead) GOP operative Peter Smith apparently wired money to hackers as "Russian students" at same time Clinton emails were released by Wikileaks. Elaborate secrecy & planned projects suggest foul play. THREAD👇
So GOP operative PETER SMITH had an elaborate & well-funded scheme to get Clinton emails. In email w/ apparent hacker, they discuss wiring $150k to "Russian students" & being pleased w/ released Clinton emails just days after Wikileaks releases in Oct. wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
This is the first reporting I've seen casting some doubt on GOP operative Peter SMITH's suicide. Hours before his death, he spoke w/ a financier about another anti-Clinton project. He was excited & brainstorming about how to proceed. Financier was stunned when he heard of suicide
🕯#OTD Oct 7, 2006: Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya murdered to silence her fierce voice on Putin mafia state corruption, atrocities, propaganda. Her truth is louder today: Putin's guard dogs hurtling Russia back to USSR abyss…Journalists risk death, bullet, poison, trial.
#Politkovskaya was a journalist & human rights activist, not distinct in authoritarian Russia. Anna said journalists owe duty to tell the truth about the state. One last investigation was into mass poisoning of Chechen schoolchildren, authorities gaslighted as media mass hysteria
Before Trump, Americans might've read #Politkovskaya reports of gaslighting officials who blame media hysteria to cover up the poisoning of schoolchildren as absurd. We see now that gaslighting propaganda is a hallmark of illegitimate authoritarian states. theguardian.com/world/2006/mar…
Oh gawd. Collins is repeating a Republican talking point about Democrats deciding before Kavanaugh was named to oppose him. So, folks, there you have it. OK for Republicans not to let Obama nominee have a hearing for a year, but Dems can't oppose a man, now credibly discredited.
.@SenatorCollins, what a disappointment. She's reciting Kavanaugh's judicial record, but nothing about his overt lack of judicial temperament. Truly shocking. It's not just Trump. Republicans behave like Soviets, believing the ends justify the means. Every damn time. Wow
@SenatorCollins Collins now sounds like Senator Kennedy: "I asked him point blank if anyone influenced his decisions…he said NO" "Judge Kavanaugh fits w/in the mainstream of legal thought." Now she's citing ABA, who just announced they're reopening their evaluation. What a farce. Sorry, America
Grassley: “In another era, Kavanaugh would’ve been confirmed with a unanimous vote.” He ain’t wrong! And blames “left-wing” conspiracies. NEWS for Mr Grassley & Republicans: Women are constituents NOT conspirators! The era of dismissing women, our stories & our rights is OVER!
Schumer: Kavanaugh was problematic from the day he was named by hard-right special interests. The dam broke with Dr Ford’s sexual assault allegations. Republicans blame Democrats bc they have a flawed nominee. It’s the shameful culmination of scorched-earth politics of hard right
Schumer: Kavanaugh was evasive bc he knows his views are deeply at odds w/ the progress America’s made in the last century of jurisprudence & at odds w/ what most Americans believe…If you have doubts abt his credibility, don’t confirm. Ask Pres for another name. Save the Senate.
More on that bar-room brawl, adding to a pattern of a belligerent & aggressive drunk/Supreme Court nominee: Kavanaugh wasn’t satisfied w an answer a guy in a bar gave him, so picked a fight, threw a glass of beer in the guy’s face. There’s a police report. apple.news/Am3cwBQu-TEKqo…
Yale classmate who witnessed a bar fight: What the incident illustrates about Kavanaugh “is just the aggressiveness that came along with the alcohol, the hair-trigger machismo… [T]hat was kind of Brett’s shtick. He was aggressive… belligerent” when drinking.
The most 80s thing ever: They were drinking pints at a bar after a UB40 concert & Kavanaugh was sure some guy was the lead singer Ali Campbell. He wasn’t but Brett started a fight b/c of how the guy talked to him. (BTW UB40’s big hit was “Red Red Wine”🍷) nyti.ms/2xUsgvG