42 Useful Idiots
3
Wrong headline. Its Republicans who fall short.
Democrats are clearly using every tool they have to resist Russian interference and sabotage.
Republicans are sickeningly complicit in furthering the agenda of a major United States adversary. For that we are holding them to account.
8
Seriously? Why isn't the headline, "Republicans vote to support Trump in easing sanctions against Putin ally."
11
Why does this Administration remove sanctions after about a year from an organization that attacked our elections in 2016? Deripaska used this corporations to find his actions.
It is common knowledge that Russian mega-corporations exist by and for V. Putin. The "oligarchs" are his chosen few.
So, what did this "corporation" do to warrant relief? Mnuchin said it's because the sanctions disrupted supply of aluminum. Strange that sanctions get lifted for Ruscal, but the Administration continues to tariff the three Chinese corporations with greater supply. Doesn't this make the Russian company more profitable.
Did this "corporation" confess? Nope.
Did it pay restitution? Nope
Did it assist in investigations? Nope.
In ANY criminal case in the US, this would be demanded. Instead, Trump/McConnell/GOP Senate just handed V. Putin a ton of money. One has to ask - WHY?
4
...and tomorrow, hundreds of millions of Rubles pour into The National Republican Congressional Committee's coffers.
Quid Pro Putin
4
Dateline Washington: January 24th, 2019:
Tens of millions of dollars in untraceable (thanks to citizens united) campaign donations money pour into The National Republican Congressional Committee.
4
Yet the koch-owned gop won't lift the sanctions on 800,000 furloughed AMERICANS.
The koch-owned gop: just a bunch of dirty cossacks.
7
My father-in-law, a Marine who served in the South Pacific during WWII, did not fight, take bullets on separate occasions, receive 2 Purple Hearts, and defend our country and faith in the constitution and elected leaders to have us come to this point.
These so-called elected Republicans are ALL TRAITORS. Period. They have deserted their elected duties. March them from chambers and directly to prison.
9
Wow 42 US Senators and the President, doing the bidding for Putin and the Russians. Even Ronald Reagan is rolling in his grave over that one.
6
When is it going to sink in to Republicans ? Suggest they look up the definition of traitor in Websters Dictionary. Along with oligarch, carpetbagger, & Christian. Just cannot believe how unprincipled a party can be. No matter what happens in the next two years, Trump Republicans need to be rejected at the ballot box.
5
Incredibly prominent GOP senators like McConnell, Romney, Graham, Cruz, Cornyn, Burr, Johnson, and Thune are in lock-step support of trump’s kowtowing to Putin’s demands for US sanctions relief on Russian oligarchs and their business interests. It shows just how deeply and all pervasively the trump administration’s self-serving corruption scheming which dramatically threatens national security has taken hold. Under normal circumstances this kind of abject support of blatant political meddling in full view would sound alarms all over the place. But a kind of public nonchalance about these developments seems to have settled in which is extremely troubling.
5
@John Townsend - Shame on Romney. He said
Russia was a great threat to the USA when he
last ran for president.
5
It seems like nearly the entire Republican Party is guilty of collusion with Russia. When you consider how many world events seem to be falling in line with Putin's wishlist, those who cherish democracy need to be alert and diligent. These are troubling times.
6
Meanwhile back at the ranch in the US the EPA is being gutted, the CFPB is being dismantled, Dodd–Frank is being compromised, the deficit is going through the roof, huge chunks of public lands are being sold off, world free trade is being seriously assailed, the justice department is being revamped with a slew of GOP biased judicial appointees, and all while the FBI is being disemboweled.
6
I'm am stunned by the actions( or non- actions) of the republicans. Shun and restrict the steel of our friends in Canada. Cause and continue the suffering of 800,000 Americans who are furloughed or our working without pay. Monied Mitch McConnell who received $3.2 million in campaign donations from Russians and the other complicit republicans who also got money from Russians know who they serve and it isn't America. Way to sell out America and her allies republicans.
10
@Mark-
Why are you “stunned”? Republican PACs get millions of dollars from Russian “businessmen”, who steal or extort it from their marks inside Russia. Their money, laundered (we say “bundled”) with Saudi money, and Israeli, and Chinese (etc, etc) to hide its origins. After all,
“money makes the world go around ...
... the world go around
... the world go around.”
Politicians write laws. Changing a few words in a clause or phrase in some arcane statute might be worth $10-million, or $100-million to interested parties. Politicians spend an inordinate amount of time “dialing for dollars” every day. The clever ones quitely sell their votes in ways that skirt the letter of our anti-bribery statutes but not the spirit. The stupid or clumsy ones end up in prison, like Rostenkowski or Blagojevich.
Have any important business pending before Congress? Retain any legal representation, lobbyists and “legislative analysts” yet? “Money is the mothers milk of politics”. Getting something through the legislative maze at any level costs big bucks and often take years.
It’s illegal for foreigners to contribute to American political campaigns but, so what? Try arresting a rich Saudi or Russian for bribery. See what happens. Our political system is rotten to its innermost core; like all the others.
I’m sure the Mueller Report will describe it in great detail. But you will never get to read all of it because a Republican Attorney General named Barr will suppress it. “Bad for bid-ness”.
5
So we have an administration that is worried how the sanctions impact companies while at the same time imposing tariffs that impact those same companies. They also could care less about the federal workers, their contractors and lost productivity in the US due to the shutdown which will cost more than the Russian sanctions. Not sure I understand our Treasury Secretary's position. Of course he is fine with more taxes on the American consumer which is caused by collection of tariffs. (People forget that every dollar paid in tariffs comes from the purchaser of the import and not the exporter.)
4
Viewing Republican senators' refusal to sanction Deripaska, many commenters draw the conclusion that some senators are beholden to Deripaska, too, or addicted to Russian money, or are themselves assets of Putin or are letting Putin "pull the strings." But what if the explanation is much simpler: that Putin and Deripaska are simply aiding the Republicans in an attempt to finalize a right-wing coup and make over the US as an authoritarian, neofascist one-party state that will be in alignment with Russia and the other Central Eastern nations (like Hungary and Poland) who are reviving fascism and reverting back to anti-democratic status.
The New Right in America that emerged in the 1970s has long had ties to the far-right in Eastern Europe. In the early 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union, many right-wing American religious and business leaders cultivated relationships with Russians and pushed for a Russia-US alliance - for example, Paul Weyrich, founder of the Heritage Foundation. According to multiple sources including the NYT, after the fall of the Soviet Union, "Mr. Weyrich made dozens of trips to Russia, eventually becoming a strong supporter of closer relations. By the time of his death in 2008, Mr. Weyrich was writing and speaking frequently in defense of Russia and facilitating visits between American conservatives and Russian political leaders." (NYT, 7/18/18 Katherine Stewart)
Look beyond Putinesque puppetry; the GOP maneuvers are consensual and deliberate.
24
@Pamela
It seems that old generation of conservatives. like William Buckley at the least had high intellectual capacity vs. today GOP that has no ability to think and debate without their idiotic bullet points.
Complete intellectual degradation.
6
Wonder what is in it for the GOP Senators for this pro Russian vote? A free vacation at a Black Sea resort? An order of Lenin medal? Cypriot bank accounts? Trump Tower apartment in Moscow? Certainly not re-election! Well, one can hope.
1
@Wayne Logsdon,
Hundreds of millions of Rubles in Citizens United screened republican campaign donations.
What else?
2
Orange is the new Red.
4
I am a Democrat. Where is the list of Dems who didn't vote in favor of the sanctions? Balanced reporting is crucial ...
2
Whelp, at least now we know for absolutely sure there are at minimum 42 co-conspirators in the senate. So tuck that away for future reference.
3
Has our government become so corrupt that a man like Putin can buy them? Our American Founding Fathers must be turning over in their graves.
3
The strangle hold of trump, the darkness of Putin and corporate interests continue to rule the decisions of the Republican party. The West continues it's decline right before our eyes and the money hungry men of power continue to rule the world, only this time without the constraints of national pride and decency. Money is the God.
1
Better would be to slap our lovely sanctions on the likes of Jaime Dimon and his cohort of Banksters. They got away scot free.
What a bunch of proud Americans we have with the republicans in the senate.
Ronald Reagan would be so proud of them and those senators have surely a legitimate reason to criticize the black players in the NFL for not standing up during the national anthem.
Wondering who are the real traitors of this country?
4
WRONG.
It was the cowards of the GOP who failed. Where was Mitt Romney, the man who called trump lacking? He couldn't be bothered to stand and be counted as one who went on the record to say NO to helping Putin and his allies?
The Democratic Party stood up, and lead the charge to stop Russia from further making a mockery of America. Sadly, only 11 Republicans could be bothered to stand up for this Nation.
Senate Republicans are Cowards.
7
How do you spell the sound of your head shaking (in a manner of disbelief)?
@Ponsobny Britt - How about UH OHHH.
1
It doesn't make sense to me to punish a Russian businessman only because he has a very thin connection to Putin ... not sure how that is taking a "hardline against Russia". Putting sanctions on a privately owned company that is owned by a Russian is not sticking it to Russia. This is all just one big kangaroo court.
@kz
No one in a position that Deripaska is in operates in Russia today without the expressed approval of the Despotic Czar Putin.
Thin connection nothing!
He's firmly soldered to the regime.
21
@kz - He does not have "a very thin connection to Putin". Please do your research.
18
@kz-
Was Pauley Walnuts’ “connection” to Tony Soprano “thin”?
Or Nitti’s to Capone?
6
There is a way to show our contempt for the spineless republicans who think they are safest working for The Con Don and Putin.
The third annual Women's March is this Saturday, January 19, and there are marches planned across America and around the world for people to join together and show The Con Don and his Robber Baron brethren what WE THE PEOPLE think. Any person may join the march - it's not for women only. Every government worker, educator and average American should take part with a sign that promotes the one thing they value most about living in OUR United States of America.
The link is below. Scroll to the place on the page for "Sister Marches" and find a march near you.
Please, Good People, let's show The Con Don that we hold him in contempt and support Speaker Pelosi and OUR democratic U.S. House/Congress.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD PEOPLE TO COME TO THE AID OF OUR COUNTRY!
http://womensmarch.org
It is WE THE PEOPLE they need to be afraid of.
4
And how did born to privilege, draft dodging coward mitt romney, the new "Patriotic" face of the koch-owned gop, vote?
The draft dodger voted to help russia along with the other pro-russian hacks on the right.
Duh
9
That R after a senator’s name now stands for Russia.
35
Absolutely brilliantly said. Unfortunately true.
6
Any republican senator who voted against this should be summarily voted out of office at their next election cycles.
5
There is no decency left in the GOP.
5
We need a list of Putin's GOP senators who voted in Russia's interest and no the interest of the USA. That needs to be a huge campaign issue in 2020!
5
Our government has been ceded to a foreign adversary and the Congress continues to provide cover for POTUS. At least 11 senators had some sense of doing the right thing. It's truly sad what is happening to this country and once again the majority position loses out in our so called democracy. We are living in an alternate Tocqueville universe under "the tyranny of the minority"
3
Before trump and his lock-step republicans took power, this kind of un-american activities would have sparked outrage.
However, now it is considered just another day in the trump methodical chaos.
1
It's amazing that GOP is in step with trump's pro-Russian stance. It shows the true meaning of treason for all to see.
4
What I think is the "64,000 Dollar" question, is why Mitch McConnell, Lyndsey Graham, Marco Rubio, and the rest of the Republican's in the Congress are not asking, is what exactly behind Donald Trump's relationship with Vladimir Putin, what is he hiding and is he afraid of?
Why are the Republican's continuing to cover for Donald Trump when something is clearly amiss?
2
Once again we are shown that the problem is not a treasonous President, but rather a Republican Party who has betrayed their country and that refuses to protect and defend the USA. They are willing to support corruption and our enemies against the interests of our nation. We must vote them out.
3
@Terry,
...AND a treasonous president then.
1
Rusal is worth ~$39B and saw a ~17% increase in the past week, in part due to improved forecasted revenues following the loosening of US sanctions.
Oleg Deripaska, who actively works to subvert our democracy, owns 35% of the company's shares, meaning he reined in ~$2B over this past week from Trump and Mnuchin loosening the sanctions.
Meanwhile, 800,000 American workers, who have devoted their lives to keeping our airplanes safe, our rivers clean and our government running, earn $50K a year and are forced to work without pay.
Trump and the GOP are stealing from the poor and powerless to give to the rich corrupt and powerful.
4
Why is the headline “Democrats Fall Short in Russia Sanctions Vote” rather than “Majority of Republican Senators Side with Putin Oligarch”?
The point is not a failure on the part of the Democrats, it is the seemingly inexplicable alignment of the Republican Party with one of our geopolitical foes, who was being punished for attacking our election.
5
The fix is in. Manafort is getting his debt paid off.
The republicans are colluding. Putin will keep
blackmailing Comrade trump. Nothing to see here...
5
So, Sen. McConnell says the Democrats are "politicizing the issue". That's rich coming from a man who politicizes everything. If there's a partisan angle to the thermostat setting in the Senate chamber, he'll find it.
I see from the response of many of commenters they have not taken the time to read the link about the issue. What will be lifted is the sanctions on the Rusal, not Deripaska. BUT, the way I understand it, we have to take Moscow's word for it that he will no longer be in control of the company. And you can take Moscow's word to the bank - and throw it in the river.
Each time we have a story like this it is one more quo in the quid pro quo between the Russian government and the Trump administration.
BTW where was my Senator, Mr.-tough-on-the-Russians Lindsey Graham?
57
@Thucydides
In the same foxhole with tough-on-Russia Mitt Romney!
14
@Thucydides
Yes leaving sanctions against Rusal in place sends an even stronger message to the Russian government.
Are we really so unsure of their deviance? Hard to believe after everything that has come down the pike in the last many years.
4
So who is the Democrat that didn't vote?
1
Although he is an independent, Bernie Sanders missed the vote. I'm uncertain whether he is the "missing Democrat"
@Gregory
According to CNN, Bernie Sanders missed the vote.
Republicans sold out to Russia yet again, there I fixed the headline for you
8
That headline should read “57 Republicans Vote To End Sanctions Against Putin Crony”
6
Exactly
1
In spite all his big talk Romney voted along his party line to ease sanctions on Russian oligarch Deripaska.
What gives?
How do you explain this after all his warnings about Russia being number 1 geopolitical adversary of the US.
If you think it can't get any crazier, think again.
129
@faivel1 In keeping with most of the "mavericks" in the GOP. They get a little bit of attention for talking like the resistance, but when push comes to shove they vote the party line.
5
I'm old enough to remember when the GOP were hardliners on Russia. Today, most of them behave as if beholden to our enemy Putin, along with Trump. Quite a cabal under Putin's thumb. How many Republicans took Russian money laundered through the NRA?
Did we ever learn what really went down in those meetings last Fourth of July when eight Congressional Republicans huddled with the Russians in Moscow?
Under Trump, our government is being dismantled before our eyes—and it began long before the current, longest-ever government shutdown that Trump said he'd be proud to cause. It started with Trump's cronies being confirmed by a complicit GOP-controlled Congress, who then purged career employees at our federal agencies and installed even more cronies loyal to Trump.
It progressed to alarming rollbacks of regulations protecting our environment, workplace safety, banking system, housing, veterans, students, net neutrality, and other areas of American life—rollbacks that all favor corporate power and profits over human beings and the planet we depend on for life.
The fact that House Democrats have passed multiple bills to reopen the government but Senate Majority Leader McConnell refuses to bring any of them for a vote tells us he and Trump are in cahoots on the shutdown. I'll be surprised if the government reopens at all. Trump wants chaos and collapse.
There is something dark and malevolent happening in America. Cherish what's left of democracy—we may not have it for long.
119
@Lori Sirianni
His supporters voted for a "Reality TV star" for President.
Now we all have the pain and suffering that goes along with that vote. Trump is not connected to reality.
7
@Lori Sirianni
My father-in-law, a Marine who served in the South Pacific during WWII, did not fight, take bullets on separate occasions, receive 2 Purple Hearts, and defend our country and faith in the constitution and elected leaders to have us come to this point.
These so-called elected Republicans are ALL TRAITORS. Period. They have deserted their elected duties. March them from chambers and directly to prison.
12
@Lori Sirianni I don't think Trump wants chaos & collapse. Rather power & money are the only things that animate him - and his wholly owned GOP subsidiary. Pure, run amok, capitalism will destroy us unless, we, the people, take control of this runaway train of greed & hubris. It's up to the House Democrats to start applying the brakes.
3
This is good news for multi billionaire Deripaska. He was finding it difficult to live without those extra millions. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Repubs let 800000 fed employees twist in the wind.
66
You read this and can only believe that Putin, Trump and McConnell have a plan to sabotage the 2020 election and cement their takeover . With the election of Trump and GOP control of the Senate, Putin has executed an espionage plan without precedent in history. The three of them will do anything to prevent voters undoing it. Our failure to imagine it , just like we failed to imagine 911 , will be our demise as a democracy.
50
@JL
You are so right.
Dems are so busy reacting to Trump's daily shocking pronouncements, they are ignoring the election conspiracy being hatched by these 3 evil men.
Why did Ivanka recently request and obtain a Chinese patent to manufacture a "voting machine"?
14
Democrats didn't "fall short". They were 100% behind this bill. The Republicans and Bernie Sanders, who failed to vote, "fell short" and delivered a victory to the Russians.
And curious that Bernie Sanders couldn't find the time to vote on this even though he was in the Capitol all day long. What is Bernie afraid of?
60
@Dan
Equally stunning, whatever happened to Romney?
He called Russia our Number 1 threat when he was running for POTUS!
22
@Dan
What outcome would have changed had Bernie voted on it?
It is my understanding that Bernie was dealing with the fallout about harassment in his last campaign during a meeting. It doesn't excuse him but does explain why he was not there.
4
Putin and Deripaska no doubt are smirking bigtime as GOP Senators like Mitt Romney, Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz removed sanctions from their aluminum consortium, abetting Trump in his treasonous behavior towards Russia. Shame on every US GOP Senator who voted on Jan. 16 to lift the three sanctions. I first read of their votes on SputnikNews -- the Russia-owned agency -- if one has any doubt Putin is the ultimate benefactor of these Senators' votes.
35
"Mr. Deripaska’s companies waged an aggressive lobbying and legal campaign against the sanctions last year. The administration first delayed putting sanctions on the companies into effect and then announced last month it would lift them entirely."
GOP Congre$$ $uccumb$ to Ru$$ian lobbyi$t$!
Wake up America!
Putin has successfully bought off our President, he now has our GOP Congress under his control.
9
From the article:
"Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, had worked to derail the congressional measure."
Mnuchin. So that's it - government by Goldman Sachs - both of our parties are pawns of Goldman.
Goldman Sachs has bred far more oligarchs than Putin - we just don't call them oligarchs here. But think - what President did not have "Ties" to Goldman? Appointing Mnuchin was the
the most "normal" thing Trump has done.
All the nonsense in the world about Trump, doesn't change who is really running our country. Donald and Nancy are a front for Wall Street - just theater to keep the Democracy myth alive. When the rubber meets the road, a Goldman guy is always around to keep the wheels turning.
If our media reported about the United States, the way they report about Russia, we would all be way ahead.
Note: Please don't write to inform me that Mnuchin no longer works for Goldman. Think, "once a Marine, always a Marine" - that how it works with Goldman.
2
Do we know why these Senators voted to lift the sanctions? Any quotes from any of them?
Once again, shame on the Republican Party-before-country for not having the backbone or patriotism to stand up to the puppet Trump. For two years now the GOP stands for the Government of Putin.
Remember the high-minded, wonderful sounding op-ed that Mitt Romney wrote in the Times slamming Trump a few weeks back? That same Romney, who called Russia America's greatest threat while running against Obama, couldn't muster the courage to vote to keep the sanctions. What an two-face hypocrite. Like almost all of the rest of his party.
11
What I do not see in this article is the reason for this deeply unpatriotic vote. Why is our Sec'y of Treasury lobbying US Senators to place Russian financial interests above American interests? Where is the reporting?
4
Check and see how much the Oligarchs from Russia contributed to the Republican Senators. Millions! They bought the Republican Party.
6
I think Trump deserves all the criticism and more but he also acts like a lighting rod that draws attentions from other scoundrels. This vote casts suspicion on Mitch McConnell and all the GOP Senators who voted for lifting the sanctions. The GOP members of Congress who were all smiles on their inappropriate trip to Russia last year should be scrutinized.
2
It was not the Democrats who fell short. It was the GOP that removed sanctions on the indicted Putin ally who worked with the Trump campaign to hack the 2016 presidential election that falls short of their responsibility to protect America and rebuke a president who is obviously Putin's tool.
6
40+ Republican Senators who voted against sanctioning Derispaka proved that they are on the same side as Putin, and so are just as much traitors as is Trump.
5
The battle-cry of the Grand Old Putinistas used to be “better dead than red”. Now it is becoming increasingly clear just why it is, and what it really means, that they represent red states.
3
Yes, what would the modern world without russia's 1940s tech?
Show of hands, how many of you own that new russian smartphone or that new high tech russian electric sports car?
How many are using that cool new russian laptop with its cutting edge processor?
Exactly.
We need russia like a fish needs a bicycle.
That trump's base of Mensa members actually believe mnuchin and mcconnell os just another in the many reasons why we will always fly over trump's states.
We don't want the stupid to rub off.
5
More accurate headline would be Republican’s fall short.
6
How long, how far and how much stomach can this nation tolerate from the relentless disgraceful, treacherous, mind numbing maniacal psychotic behavior emanating from the peoples residence that is temporarily leased to the certified madman therein and the henchmen (congress) that support him being there??
4
So let me see if I understand this correctly. Sanctions against a Russian oligarch, a close friend of Putin, tied to the Russian Mob, under a cloud of suspicion pertaining to the 2016 election, business associate of Paul Manafort, the recipient of sensitive campaign polling data on American voters, and generally bad guy, is given a pass by the Republican Senate like there is nothing to worry about. Really. I was under the impression that for the last 70 years Republicans distrusted Russians, and blocked their every move. What changed? Money? A Russian asset in the White House?
27
@Michael Gilbert
What changed was the NRA funneling Russian-originated dollars to Republican campaign coffers.
They were easily infiltrated through basic active measures by dirty money. The NRA welcomed it, and unknowingly passed it on thinking they were buying control.
2
@Michael Gilbert
Short answer: nothing changed. It's all about business--in this case, the aluminum business. That's all it's all about. There is no political argument about right and wrong.
2
1. Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia, no question.
2. Trump is aware the Steele dossier is genuine and it's existence looms ominously even more than the Mueller investigation.
3. Trump will continue to lie and assess blame on Obama long after Mueller has uncovered collusion and obstruction.
9
McConnell and his Republican Senate leadership are now complicit in the Trumpian embrace of Russia. This Congressional Red Infection which began in the House, with Devin Nunes's total abdication to Trump's Putin policies, has spread to the Senate.
12
The apparent conspiracy between Russia, its interests, and the GOP is again flourishing. I remember Reagan's "Evil Empire" speech. He is undoubtedly rolling over in his grave as the current "Republican" crowd led by Trump conspires with Putin to destroy our Western Democratic Alliance, NATO and what is actually a very effective Syrian strategy. Putin is and has been the big winner in the 2 years of a Trump Presidency.
5
@pkincy The US and Nato has been the BIG losers along with the American people with this shutdown. How does Trump still have 40% approval? Something is wrong.
1
Lindsey Graham demonstrates that he does not believe Russia is a problem and that his party is much more important than protecting the country. I ask him why we spend 700 and whatever billion dollars a year on defense and he thinks that’s not enough money. Who is he defending us against Canada or south Africa?
1
Fat cats certainly stick together. There are 800,000 American citizens going without an income and the Republicans in the Senate won't do a thing to help them. But a rich fat cat from Russia (who is under investigation for meddling in US elections) gets immediate assistance. Red the right color for the Republican Senate or is it yellow? I can only beg the voters in red states to get rid of these guys - don't vote Democratic if you don't want but these guys aren't worth your support.
7
How many of our public servants belong in prison for crimes against this country? Message to the enabling GOP: Inaction in the face of treason makes one equally guilty of treason. This is similar to how accomplices are found guilty of murder, even if they did not actually pull the trigger!
1
The vast majority of Senate Republicans are, like their new leader, happy Russian puppets. Republican Patriotism to the US evaporated with the tainted election of the main Russian asset. Just move on, and realize we have Americans, and then we have foreign assets--witting assets unless they are complete fools who only see the specters of Limbaugh and Coulter, who, like their fearful leader, have no moral basis, just day traded ratings.
2
Have all the Republicans or just Donald Trump been bought by the Russians or do the Russians have something on all of them?
3
The Republican Party has become the Party of Putin. I'm so ashamed of our government that I can hardly breathe.
7
The Russians get what they pay for.
2
@ad rem The American voters got what they voted for a "REALITY TV SHOW President" every single day that he is in government. He no longer has a script or rewrites or do -overs. He now has REAL BULLETS that inflict REAL PAIN.
1
And now we know where Romney's heart really is. And we know where his lips are firmly planted.
4
John Boozman of Arkansas;
Susan Collins of Maine
Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Steve Daines of Montana
Cory Gardner of Colorado
Josh Hawley of Missouri
John Kennedy of Louisiana
Martha McSally of Arizona
Jerry Moran of Kansas
Marco Rubio of Florida
Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Remember these names. They appear to have made an intellectually honest and principled decision, howerver faint.
And it’s such an easy gimme to defend with their constituents.
Where were Lindsay Graham and Lisa Murkowski? Barbara Capito? What cowards!
At a time when we are in the middle of a criminal tampering with our election, carried out by the President’s campaign manager in bed with Oleg Deripaska?
The President’s own Secretary of the Treasury negotiates a shady arrangement over the percentage of stock owned by Deripaska and the GOP buys into this nonsensical parsing of punishment down to a traffic warning?
Another example of Trump—colluding with McConnell and his merry band of pusillanimous colleagues—to protect Putin’s back.
9
We now know what Senators discussed on the junket to a secret meeting in Moscow last year Remember, when the meeting was over and up to now not a single leak.
9
How can the article not mention Senator Bernie Sanders failure to vote with the Democrats, let alone fail to show up at all?
People were fuming last night over another Republican sellout to Russia, yet the Times coverage was anemic, while also framing it as a Democratic loss. No quotes from Republicans voting for the oligarch? Companies controlled by Len Blavatnik, who owns 23% of Rusal, contributed heavily to Senators McConnell and Graham. No mention.
The Times can and should do better.
35
@Bruce
Actually, I never knew that Sanders voted against the Magnitsky Act, but I google it and here what I found...
"In conclusion, the most likely explanation for why Sanders voted against the 2012 Magnitsky Act is because he opposed normalizing trade relations with Russia. When a stronger, more consistent version of the Magnitsky Act came up for a vote in 2015 at the beginning of the Kremlin’s election interference campaign, he voted the right way."
Good to know, right!
1
I suppose this is yet another example of nobody being tougher on Russia than Individual-1 and his destabilizing and enabling fellow-travelers.
8
Richard Burr, my Senator, should resign as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee after voting to end sanctions. Furthermore, he has indicated he would not pursue asking for the interpreter’s notes from the many Trump/Putin meetings. Clearly, he has a partisan conflict.
30
@sepHe should have crawled under a rock a long time ago, along with Tom Tillis. May the great state of NC recover from the GOP's mean-spirited lack of decency and leadership.
2
Bruce Orh tried to flip Deripaska, "...in September 2016, when F.B.I. agents showed up unannounced at his door in New York. By then, they were already investigating possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, and they pressed Mr. Deripaska about whether his former business partner, Mr. Manafort, had served as a link to the Kremlin during his time as Mr. Trump’s campaign chairman." (from NYT Sept. 1, 2018)
He did not roll over, while not enamored of Manafort, he was most interested in "being made whole" from what Manafort owed. Now he is being rewarded for keeping their secrets.
8
Sometimes you can hide the bad things you do in plain sight. A vote to lift sanctions from these Russian companies owned by an undoubted Russian conspirator to disrupt America, clearly reveals Donald's complicity and servitude when it comes to Russia and in plain sight. As David Foster Wallace said: Sometimes it is hard to see what is in front of you. What is in front of us, if we connect the cyrillic dots is: Donald is connected to Russia, dotted all the way to Mr. New-Owner-of-America, Vlad. Seeing all these nefarious Russian connection realities is just hard for honest, credible people to believe that Donald could or would be this obvious in his complicity with Russia. Donald's blatant public activities are evil genius tactics at work, exactly where Donald performs those acts of collusion--Russia please find Hillary's email! Right in front of the world! Donald: Russia's agent of UnAmerican actions.
11
For the many who have asked the Senator who didn't vote is Bernie Sanders. The same Bernie Sanders photographed dining with Putin. The same Sanders who torpedoed Hillary Clinton and the same Sanders who is ramping up a staff to run for office again despite that, if he won, he'd be 80 years old when he took office. That'd be the same Sanders who isn't a Democrat except when he runs as one, splitting Democrat voters, and the same Sanders whose followers, like AOC, are using primaries to get rid of mainstream Democrats and replace them with radicals. America, you're being played.
9
@Michael
Bernie lost and will never be a contender again.
He should join forces to vow to help ANYone who can defeat Trump... even another republican, like Nikki Hailey or Marco Rubio.
I seriously doubt trump is the only compromised person in government, I truly believe some are either being extorted, maybe because they took Russian/Nra payments, or they are complicit along with trump and Russia. If in the end when the Mueller report comes out and it goes to assumed AG Barr who may or may not let us see them, then someone will need to be a true patriot and leak the papers to the press, Pentagon Paper style. Please get the report in whole out for all to see, you'll have my respect.
8
Tally for Putin:
-Trump changes Republican platform to favor Russia
-Trump is elected in a Russia rigged election
-Trump unsuccessfully attempts to remove existing sanctions from Russia
-Congress imposes more sanctions, they are not enforced
-Trump fires Comey, meets with Russian ambassador with no US participation. Trump says the "investigation pressure is off."
-Trump's support of right wing violence and gun rights deeply divides the country, NRA is a Russian puppet.
-Trump withdraws from the Iran nuclear pact, Russia continues to buy Iran oil, Trump does nothing.
-Trump repeatedly talks to Putin with no Americans present, meets with Putin in Helsinki for two hours, no questions to the US interpreter are permitted.
-Trump imposes tariffs on allies and China, wounding US allies, imposing serious financial penalties on US farmers and small businesses.
-Trump announces withdrawal from Syria, alienating US allies and rewarding Russia.
-Trump shuts down one quarter of the US government over a sham issue. 800,000 federal employees go unpaid, there are serious impacts on the economy.
- Trump and the Senate excuse Russian company from sanctions.
Putin is way ahead in this game, it is increasingly important the we fight back. Demonstrate at the offices of your Republican senators, call them and write. Give them no rest.
12
It's hard to see why they would vote to lift sanctions. Mr. Deripaska has proven he is untrustworthy and engages in underhanded tactics. Why are Republicans so enamored with Russians that they are willing to look the other way when characters like Deripaska emerge? How does America benefit from votes like this? No matter how much he denies it, Trump's actions lend more and more credibility to the accusations that he is in the pocket of Putin. Otherwise, how to explain votes like this?
11
I wonder how many in Congress own stock in the company?
Why aren’t Democrats taunting Republicans as being “soft on Russia?“ That’s what the GOP would do if the situation were reversed. The Republicans would make the Democrats look weak and feckless. It’s time Democrats returned the favor.
14
Is anyone surprised at this? If so, you are easily misled. Some Republicans needed to give themselves a little cover. That is as long as they knew the final vote would fall short.
Here's a little disconnect that your story doesn't do much to clarify: Mnuchin & McConnell say the deal to lift the scanctions will avoid "unintended economic ripple effects that could damage companies in the United States, Europe, Jamaica, Guinea and elsewhere by disrupting the supply of aluminum." This is curious given that your president has imposed tariffs on imports of aluminum from Canada and other countries as a matter of national security. Doesn't sound like an international shortage of aluminum is a problem.
22
@Ian Porter,
The russian economy could hurt real economies around the world?
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...yes, what will the world do without that new russian rotary smartphone or their new pedal powered sports car?
Does trump's Mensa base actually swallow this tripe?
And they wonder why we still fly over.
3
@Ian Porter Exactly. Why is this too not being investigated and reported on by The Times and The W.Post? Will someone please make sure that the Comments here are all forwarded to Rachel Maddow for exploration on her show?
To return to this topic: Mnuchin refers to problems for Jamaica and Guinea. What he may be saying is that the sanctions have hurt the market for bauxite, not processed aluminum metal. That would mean mining companies (and miners) are being hurt by the sanctions. In that case, dropping the 10% tariffs on U.S. aluminum imports might be as effective as dropping the sanctions on Deripaska's companies... but of course that would be - ahem - a "security threat". This is a really tangled web.
Since we know Mitch will only put bills on the floor that he knows the president backs, we know where the president's priories lie these days.
1
Mama said that crooked is as crooked does. Rewarding crooked behavior seems higher on the Republican priority list than it used to be. With Trump as the standard bearer it follows that Mitch and the boys will that flag rather than Old Glory.
10
So, at this point there are 42 Red State Senators protecting Putin's sway over America, and their leader is Mitch McShutout McBerderWall McSuperKochsycophant McConnell?
A great additional background longread that (judging by its meagre comment harvest) has gone under many a reader's radar:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/04/world/europe/oleg-deripaska-russia-oligarch-sanctions.html
7
Indeed. McConnell had done more to undermine American democracy than even Trump, dating back to his "our top priority is to make Obama a one term president" remark. History will judge him to be one of the great villains of American history.
11
Clearly the Russian oligarch money has made inroads in the GOP. If anybody doubts it, just read the Dallas News piece:
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/05/08/putins-proxies-helped-funnel-millions-gop-campaigns
As for Romney voting to lift the sanctions and carry water for Trump, we all wondered briefly how his recently developed backbone upon taking his new duties would last. Clearly not for long.
20
@Anna T. Thanks for the link - a worthwhile read. Hopefully Mueller is following the money beyond the executive branch and will have some questions for McConnell.
1
@Anna T. This is a very important part of the story. Why is it that the Times and the W. Post are not on this? Also, the Bernie and Jill Stein part of it is also a big story.
@anon4utu
Agree entirely with your points. These (re NYT and WaPo) were my first two questions when I saw the article! As for Sanders and Stein, what can I say? when they kept showing Flynn in the table with Putin, I was puzzled that there was hardly any commentary about Jill Stein sitting in the same table. Apparently Sanders missed yesterday's vote because he was meeting with his staff about the sexual misconduct allegations during his campaign! not that his vote would have been the tiebreaker, but still, it shows clearly his priorities!
Why does the article not name the Senator who did not vote?
14
@Halecrest 47 from CBNC: "The only one to miss the vote was Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was meeting with women who had accused his 2016 presidential campaign of sexual misconduct, his spokesman, Josh Miller-Lewis, told CNBC."
Possibly his "Bernie bros" convinced him to sit this one out?
Ah it is the spineless Mitch McConnell again. He is so worried about economic fallout resulting from non supply of aluminum in US, Europe and elsewhere but his stomach does not churn at the daily economic misery suffered by furloughed workers in our country.
Most republicans are an unsavory lot but Mitch McConnell is the most repulsive of them all.
15
Resurrect the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and start tracking down and destroying the lives real, actual, honest-to-goodness traitors to the American way of life.
9
Your headline is incorrect and misleading. Rather than saying the Democrats failed, it should read that the Republicans Confirmed Lifting Sanctions on Russia.
27
At least some Republicans aren’t traitors.
2
Eh.... I wish I could get there but I can't. They've propped up Trump in too many situations, failed to confront him to many times, attacked the Mueller investigation to consistently for me to agree.
1
@Jamie Pauline
At least some Republicans found it convenient to pretend not to be traitors knowing how the vote would come out.
1
Your headline-“Democrats fall short..” is sadly biased. It should have been - republicans fall short once again to exercise the ethical vote to sanction a participant in the trump Russia conspiracy to ATTACK our elections. Or how about , republicans fall short and in so doing become co- conspirators in the trump/ Russia ATTACK on our election.
Jane Schewior
33
I think that Republicans look at these billionaire Russian oligarchs like Deripaska and think that could be us.
6
Absolutely. This era has definitely shown me that one group of people in our political process does not care at all about preserving this unique and comfortable space we have enjoyed collectively since the late 18th century, because if it fails they see themselves as the ones eating rather than being eaten.
Who was the Democrat that didn't vote?
7
He isn't a Democrat. He's an Independent. It was Bernie Sanders.
3
@Sneeral Wow, that's a surprise. I wonder why he skipped the vote. Sanders is aligned with the Democrats but is an Independent. The article describes the missing vote as a Democrat. Interesting that TNYT missed an opportunity to criticize Bernie. They're usually on top of that.
@JTE. Bernie was busy placating the people who work on his campaign over the sexual harassment complaints that have come out against some men who worked for him during the last election cycle. Apparently, not every Bernie Bro was honest-to-goodness woke.
This is just so crazy! My anxiety level goes up daily! Conspiracy theory floated yesterday . . . Deripaska "made whole" for Manafort; Manafort stays mum with Mueller; Trump pardons Manafort. Mitch McConnell and Republican senators minus 11, are all guilty of collusion and obstruction.
14
Every GOP Senator in the nation should get a flood of letters accusing them of treason for gifting Deripaska with sanctions relief. It is clear the National Russians Association and Russian mobsters own the GOP, save for these eleven: "The Republican senators who voted with Democrats were John Boozman of Arkansas; Susan Collins of Maine; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; Steve Daines of Montana; Cory Gardner of Colorado; Josh Hawley of Missouri; John Kennedy of Louisiana; Martha McSally of Arizona; Jerry Moran of Kansas; Marco Rubio of Florida; and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.". Let the bustards have it, and let them know we know, this is confirmation of their disloyalty.
9
yesterday the majority of Republican Senators voted for Putin's puppet trump, there fore supporting Russia. why would they want to remove sanctions this soon, the investigation(s) aren't even close to being over. we know Russia interfered in our 2016 elections, as Mueller has gotten several indictments of Russian operatives. House Speaker Pelosi yesterday suggested that the SOTU address be postponed while the government was shut down for security reasons. the GOP members are saying that its a political move on her part, not wanting to give trump a stage to speak from, I say he had his 10 minutes when he recently spoke from the Oval Office. why should the SOTU be allowed to move forward like its business as usual, when for many federal employees who have now missed there first pay check, its not business as usual. I say the Senate vote to support trump/putin on the removal of sanctions was very political. trump wanted this shut down, bragged about it, said he would be proud to shut the government down, he would mantel it. trump and his GOP enablers own this shut down, they say the democrats won't come to the table and deal. it was trump who walked away from the deal in December, it was trump who slammed his hands on the table, then got up an walked out of the last meeting between the two sides. The House needs to continue to stand firm and realize that trump only wants best for trump.
7
Anyone surprised here?
Individuals who voted against sanctions should be questioned and investigated.
Publish their names.
Actions should betaken against them .
11
Orders from Moscow. Urgent. Top secret.
Give Oleg his money. Or else. That goes for you too Mitch.
Vlad.
17
@kevo
Sounds pretty much like people with all the money in a world UNITE.
As long as you have B or M before your name, you belong to our secret dark society of GRIFTERS!
1
When it comes to Russia, the Trump tactic is to talk a big stick but carry a cheerleader's pom pom.
13
What would the Russian version of "Man of Aluminum" be? Aluminuman? Aluminary? Aluminutnik?
Has there been a more pathetic, pusilanimous, political pipsqueak in history than Mitch McConnell? I submit that there has not. That wattle chinned mud skipper should be ashamed to show his face. Granted, that would be true even if he were a political saint.
9
Any time Mitch McConnell accuses Democrats of politicizing an issue, it's a good bet that - whether or not the Democrats are correct - most Republicans are acting solely to enhance the wealth and influence of their financial patrons.
Actually, that's always a good bet.
14
Well, well, well. It looks like Donald Trump isn't the only one dancing to the tune of the Russian oligarchs. The NRA was apparently used as a conduit for Russian money to influence our politics - right Ms. Butina? One has to wonder what other GOP stalwarts have been feeding at the trough, knowingly or not?
We do know some of them used information gained by Russian hacking for their election campaigns in 2016 - and they've been strangely reluctant to shore up the security of our voting systems or otherwise hold Russia to account for anything.
Gee, I guess red IS the right color for the Greedy Oligarch Party.
14
Sen. Schumer did not have it his way and that is already a good news.
cool. can we sell them some air craft carriers?
You people are nuts. Wound about in conspiracy after conspiracy, wheel within wheel, all the while leading the zombie march to the cliff of World War III. You have *nothing* on Putin, *nothing* on Trump (unfortunately), and apparently nothing that would provide a sensible foreign policy that involves cooperation as opposed to confrontation. And not a single comment that addresses our domestic problems, which are legion. Bah!
@drblukerjr02
Let's just wait for the Mueller Report, dearie! That is, if we are allowed to see it.
2
@drblukerjr02
Just saying you have*nothing* on Putin and nothing no Trump doesn't make it so. Please read and do your homework so you can get educated on the situation. Don't do it for me, do it for yourself. Like I tell my 16 year old, lies really only hurt you in the end. In this case, it hurts our entire country.
7
@drblukerjr02--Please explain how lifting sanctions on Deripaska benefits America and is an example of sensible foreign policy.
4
Not all dems are Dems
45 was once a Dem in name
Where on that list of Republicans voting with Democrats was newly-minted Senator from Utah, Mitt Romney? Wow, i fully expected him to fall into line soon, but he couldn't wait until February at least. All hail "Mittens " Romney, tower of jello!
12
Who is the Democrat who didnt vote?
1
@Mad
Bernie Sanders who is definitely compromised in some way. He is a problem.
2
This is the worst fake headline I have seen in the Times. Re do it at once.
It was not the Democrats who fell short in protecting the country. They voted as a phalanx to stop it.
It was the Russian-Republican party of Putin and his minion Trump who abdicated their duties to protect and defend the constitution.
21
Lawrence,
Agreed. Lousy and misleading title.
Russia is taking over our nation without having to fire a shot.
14
So, the party of Joe McCarthy, the party that saw commies and socialists behind every corner in Washington in the 1950s has been turned inside out. My, my, what a little money in the right places can do!
The Republicans are defending 20 seats in 2020. I wonder what they must be thinking in pulling these kinds of shenanigans.
Defending Deripaska? Good God in heaven! They're nuts. All of 'em.
7
@Bob Burns
The Republicans are thinking they will already be in complete control by 2020 greatly aided by Barr's appointment and subsequent burying of Mueller's report.
How much NRA money did the 11 Republicans receive? How much did the rest receive?
10
Dear DOJ,
Please investigate every senator who voted to lift the sanctions.
I suspect you'll find illegal donations to them in offshore accounts.
Thank you,
America
35
The Republican branch of the Duma has spoken.
16
Shouldn’t this story name the senator from Vermont who did not vote, and perhaps explain why?
19
Any ideas why NYT does not delve into why Rs voted against? Article mentions R’s stated reasons, but let’s get real. I realize it would be speculation but why won’t NYT and media generally ask lawmakers why and then drill down? “Given your historical stance in sanctions, why the change?” I’m utterly frustrated that media doesn’t attempt to dig at the why.
15
Cowardice takes another day.
7
Not just Trump, but most of the Senate too is clearly a puppet of Putin. But Fox and Rush, Putin’s media megaphones, are just fine with enriching Russian criminals.
12
Why in the world would the Republicans vote in favor of Deripaska, especially after passing the sanctions bill 98-2 in the Senate a year ago? Only because Trump wants them to, since he has to keep his puppet master Vlad happy. Well, this can be changed once Trump's out of office.
The Republicans are accessories to Trump's crimes if they keep on enabling him like this. That has nothing to do with party loyalty. It has only to do with abrogating their Constitutional obligations to Trump. There are no more co-equal branches of government any more. There are the courts, and Trump.
What a way to end the greatest democracy in history.
34
Among those voting to remove the sanctions was Mitt Romney.
All that courage he promised evidently disappeared once he actually had a vote.
48
@Texas Democrat
Mitt is a coward -- always has been.
5
The ones who fell short were our Republicans Senators who failed to uphold the sanctions.
14
Where are the names of the Democratic Senators who broke ranks? If one of them comes from my home state (Michigan) he or she will hear from me.
Do they not understand that we are in WWIII - Cyber Version? And playing nice with the Russians (who seem to have our President in their pocket) is Not A Good Idea?
11
@Nat Ehrlich
Actually they all voted against the removal of sanctions. Only Bernie Sanders abstained.
1
Maybe the press should not always be emphasizing so much the party breakdown for these unfortunate actions of our legislature. It increases the polarization, and gives our representatives cover for their ill-considered decisions.
@es
Unfortunately, it is only the Republican Party at this time who has been thoroughly turned into traitors by Russian money.
The failure of the Senate Republicans to prevent sanctions being lifted from Russian oligarch and Putin confidante, Oleg Derispaka, indicates just how far and just how frightening the Republican Party has become (to be generous) "unwitting" agents of Russia. It was Deripaska who worked with convicted criminal Paul Manafort and maybe the conduit through which Putin had him appointed Donald Trump's campaign chair. It was Deripaska who sued Manafort for millions owed to him and who Manafort sought to pay back with access to the campaign including it appears polling data and a change in the party platform. We just learned that the F.B.I. was so alarmed that Trump might be a Russian agent after he fired their director, James Comey, that they started a counter-intelligence investigation into the president. Now it seems that Republican party itself may be Russian agents. Along with their reluctance to reopen the federal government, one cannot avoid the very terrifying thought that our elected officials are not working to "serve and protect" us.
120
So, Mitch McConnell is worried that sanctions against this corrupt oligarch's aluminum company will hurt foreign nations? If true, then why didn't he object and work to halt Trump's international trade war, which has the power to depress the business and production of key U.S. Industries?
That trade war angered our allied nations originally targeted by it. It enraged China, a massively-critical trading partner. And it has threatened everything from the domestic agriculture that feeds us to Harley-Davison production to tech's digital-device assembly lines.
That's something worth protecting. Something McConnell should have taken a stand on, not some Russian oligarch's aluminum.
14
Disappointed that Schumer couldn’t have exerted enough pressure on Senate GOP to get 3 more votes.
6
@audrey More disappointed that Senate Republicans couldn't exert enough courage to do it without Schumer's pressure.
10
Russian GOP Sympathizer Senators, taking orders and money from Kremlin, r hard to turn. Look at Trump!
6
Save the names of those voting for the release the Deripaska/ Kremlin sanctions. Remember their names forever. 2020 is around the corner! They are serving themselves not America. Inform yourselves about Mitch McConnell and his brother-in-law, and the others. This is a a snap shot of true corruption.
10
All these Republicans who have been kowtowing to Trump had better hope that the Mueller report amounts to nothing. Other wise they will all be complicit in the treason that they have helped along the way.
11
Mitch, Mitch, how can you politicize sanctions when the very basis of any sanctions regime is political in the first place? Win or lose, this vote casts Mitch and his Trump-stained band of ill-repute as soft on Russia at a time when Russia's role as adversary of the west is coming ever more clearly into focus. Like Iran, Russia exports chaos to the post WWII settlement and threatens our democracy and world peace.
9
Democrats did not "fall short." The senate voted 57-42 to keep sanctions in place. Once again, Republicans used procedural tricks to do the bidding of Russian criminals who attack America.
In the Republican senate it takes 60 votes to sanction a Russian mobster who funds Republican campaigns, but only 50 to force a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court for an unqualified sex offender with an alcohol abuse problem and 83 serious ethics violations.
32
I love to watch republicans destroy their credibility.
10
@John
Sorry John but They're destroying a lot more than their own credibility... Hit the streets! or be afraid. Be very afraid...
1
@M. W. Laurin - Start learning russian, too.
1
We clearly have a problem with Russian rot infecting the Republican party. Whether it's compromat or simple bribery we don't know, but Trump and many in the GOP clearly appear to be taking orders from Putin and his oligarch buddies.
14
If it wasn’t obvious before it is now. The GOP is the party of Russia and Trump is Putin’s puppet.
16
This news makes me want to put a hand on each cheek and scream Munch-style.
I've never really understood that whole thing about stress giving you an ulcer, but as my stomach turns and fizzes and revolts as I read this story...I'm starting to understand.
Truly disgusting! And it was so right of others to highlight the actions of Romney (he who said Russia was our greatest political foe) and the lord of darkness himself, Mitch McConell.
47
Well, there goes that tough stance against Moscow! Problem solved. “ tell Micheal it was only business.”
15
So Senate Republicans led by Mitch Mcconnell voted to lift US sanctions against the business empire of KGB Putin's buddy, $billionaire Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, of whom the US Treasury said "has been accused of threatening the lives of business rivals, illegally wiretapping a government official, and taking part in extortion and racketeering." But Republicans will not even hold a vote to reopen the United States Government for the people of America.
WHAT are Republicans?
91
@JFK
The Republicans are people who want - no desperately need - oligarchs to fund their political campaigns because only massive amounts of money can keep them in power. Their policies are very unpopular when people truly understand them, so everything has to be done with smoke and mirrors. That takes money.
They do not care where the money comes from. They do not care what they have to do to keep it coming. They care only for the power it gives them.
Don't believe this? Then why won't McConnell allow a floor vote on the House bill to open the government - the same bill they passed unanimously in December? It isn't because they are unaware of the danger to the country. They know they are ruining the economy; they know millions of people are paying the price for this shutdown; they just do not care.
26
Follow the the money.
41
Another reason to hold firm on the budget impasse.
Trump knows that if the Democrats cave there, he will have crushed the opposition.
17
Sad news, but not surprising.
For the past 7 months, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel, based on the Trump administration's claim that Canadian aluminum and steel are a "security threat." This despite the fact that these Canadian products are used as a "secure source" by many U.S. military contractors. And, in spite of the fact that Canada had gone out of its way to assuage erroneous concerns the U.S. administration had that China or other countries were allowed to"dump" below-market-price steel and aluminum into the U.S. via Canada. And, in spite of the fact that the U.S. has a trade SURPLUS with Canada in both aluminum and steel. And, in spite of the fact that Canadians are being jailed in China because Canada has honoured its extradition treaty with the U.S. with regard to a top executive of Huawei.
In contrast, Trump and his sycophants in the Senate have decided it appropriate to DROP sanctions on Rusal, the world's second largest aluminum company, which is owned by a notorious Russian oligarch and Putin buddy.
Thanks for the consistency, America!
57
These oligarchs since the Gulf War and the consolidation of power enacted by republicans is that unlike the move Germany made in the early 30's to outperform other countries struggling with economic depression, the republicans responsible have done nothing but remove any benefits to the citizenry. Vets come home to a starved system. taxpayers line the pockets of the likes of mercenaries such as Betsy Devos brother Erik Prince and other contractors and sub-contractors, not to mention the bailout of banks post 9/11 and the housing crash.
All republicans have dealt out is a starvation of services, privatization of jails, cages with children and a war against organized labor.
For a while I was aghast that Colin Powell and Condi Rice would stand by without pen to paper letting history mark them the way it has. But the senate explains why. Consolidation of power by republicans side-stepping the legislative branch for courts and the Executive Branch is politburo building, something of an undertaking that began with Rice and Powell along with Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft who took their cue from Ronald Reagan, the man who said it is okay to shove your thermostat all the way up if you want and drive as fast as you are able, we as a nation began the hopeless fool's errand of organizing government to appease the energy oligarchs.
Only thing is, the citizenry has only gotten fleeced with bailouts and invoices from republicans.
23
I would like an answer as to why the Republicans chose to vote against sanctions. What are the benefits? What's the rationale?
27
It is known that Senate Republucans, McConnell included, and the NRA TOO Russian money during the 2016 elections and maybe even more than we don't know about. A Special Prosecutor needs to look into this. It seems to explain their total ambivalence to putting a check on or questioning Trump's many destructive actions against nearly every branch of our government and our allies. Do they fear any investigation can point the finger at them as well, or are they all truly just spineless?
23
The Democrats will not win many, if any, senate votes so what’s the surprise here? There was no embarrassing rebuke so move on.
1
@Todd, Move on to more pandering to Putin? Sadly, the embarrassing rebuke would be welcome over what is happening to our country.
5
Right, let me get this straight. Ongoing tariffs against Canada on steel and aluminum because we're a national security threat but lift sanctions on a Russian oligarch based on not wanting to disrupt the aluminum supply. Got it. Just making sure I'm clear on the alternate reality that is now the US Administration.
86
We should have the names of all of the senators and how they voted. We need to know who is supporting a president who is soft on Russia, secretly talks to Putin, is willing to believe Putin over our own intelligence agency, and more to strengthen Russia's role in world events. Trump says that he's the toughest president towards Russia, yet Trump delays the Russian sanctions, is willing to ease the sanctions, leave Syria, and more. I can't believe that the Republicans are willing to support the president on Russian sanctions.
21
@Dan O You can look up all voting history online at www.senate.gov although it takes some research. BUt I agree, we should have their names in print so their constituency is aware of exactly who is on the side of Russia. I would also like to know which Democrat did NOT vote, and why.
6
This should be available - call your elected representatives.
1
@Margo
It will be more readily available when ethical news reporters dig into it. This isn't business as usual, it is a national scandal.
1
Republicans view programs designed to help American citizens such as the Affordable Care Act as entirely unacceptable. Out of the question. In contrast, a plan to benefit Putin and his billionaire oligarchs is a plan they're happy to vote for.
32
@Tim Yeah its amazing (as you have put it), to think who exactly are the Republicans aligned with.
2
I have to laugh (in a sad ironic way) about McConnell's frequent accusations that every Democratic bill is "playing politics." Says the man who is the most partisan Majority Leader ever, and whose governing philosophy is simple: never let the Democrats have a win. And to seriously argue that keeping the sanctions in place would disrupt the supply of aluminum after the Trumpists put a 25% tariff in place on Canadian aluminum is, well, ironic.
49
How does a senate explain this consolidation of power toward the Supreme Court and the Executive Branch away from congress to the nation?
For the senate to vote this way means much more than one issue, it is a reflection within the creation of Citizens United.
Orrin Hatch bumping elbows with Barr yesterday before his testimony, the man who will interpret how the Mueller investigation can be applied.
Chuck Grassley achieving not only tax breaks for his inheritors and other American and other taxed oligarchs, Grassley successfully took advantage of the stagnation in congress to shove Bret Kavanaugh in place.
The senate republicans are so busy stacking courts ready for the next 100 years they deserve an award. The way McConnell has successfully waged war against organized labor, health care while promoting the privatization of Social Security and the prison system has been an accomplishment worthy of Dante to award him a ring of his own in this.
Clearing the way for foreign oligarchs in Russia and Israel and Saudi Arabia at the same time is evidence there is little faith in the E.U. and that republicans are putting their money in Putin.
I wish, I wish, I wish they hadn't wasted our time when Khrushchev visited Nixon and just let us know then. With this president in place and the politburo they've built and are building they could have saved us a lot of hot air and precious time while they scratched and clawed our way to selling off public holdings.
10
There are ongoing questions about the Republican organization, how and why it came to nominate a complete novice for President, and this vote. Why would powerful, wealthy Republican Senators choose to protect this Oligarch, and who will gain, either directly, or indirectly from this vote?
14
Democrats did not fall short; The Senate did. Please stop reporting this in language that assumes blind partisanship as a feature of the system, and instead holds every legislator accountable for his or her vote.
47
I would love to hear Mitt Romney's reason for his vote. I'm sure he has an understanding of the global aluminum market and how sanctions might hurt American and European companies. But, he also believes that Russia is the greatest threat to the USA. The next time he slams Russia, he should be asked how he came to his decision.
27
@CBH
Romney is long on talk but big on taking care of Romney. If he wants a nice committee appointment, he has to cozy up to McConnell, so he did. Don't expect leadership from Romney. He is a chameleon.
8
And which Democrats were too busy with political campaigns to vote?
4
How does something like this get decided along party lines? It bespeaks of corruption, totally, and a desire for a piece of Trump pie.
11
Why make the title "Democrats Fall Short in Russia Sanctions Vote"? The title (and content) makes it sound like the Democrats are to blame.
A more accurate title would be:
"Republicans vote to lift sanctions on Russians"
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Sobering result. But, at least now we know that Democrats and eleven Republicans in the Senate are still loyal to this country. All the rest of the Republicans are so spineless they will vote to support Vladimir Putin and his hand puppet Trump rather than cross their moronic base voters.
Here's a suggestion. Those eleven Republicans need to draw lots to see which of them will switch to Independents and caucus with the Democrats. It is about the only way to save this country. I don't think we can stand another two years of this insanity.
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I think Susan Collins will “flip” and become a Democrat or at least an independent like her fellow Maine Senator.
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@JL- Don't hold your breath.
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Out of all of the characters in this depressing story of American betrayal, there is one figure that unexpectedly rises to the top. We know about our imbecile president and his long trail of self-dealing, corrupt, criminal cohorts. Their crimes are obvious and out in the open. Their crimes, when all comes to light, will most likely be good 'ole money theft. Greed. Follow the money, right?
But the most malignant character in our civic life over the past 10 years is Mitch McConnell. He has done the most damage to our country. Deep wound, lasting damage. Calling him unpatriotic is not enough and I personally believe he is a traitor in the true sense of the word. The founding fathers would be sickened by a character like McConnell. I have a feeling history will look back at his legacy and use the example of his un-American behavior as something that had to be prevented legislatively. HIs last name will be an adverb. The state of Kentucky is a great place filled with great people...I still can't understand how they keep re-electing this demon given all of the damage he has done.
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Anyone else get the feeling the Russians yanked the leash of their republican servants in our government and said drop these sanctions or boss man Vlad will drop a fine on you? Get the miscreants who paid homage to Putin last 4th July voted to drop sanctions.
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I love it, the Democrats always fall short, they can't beat to trump at every corner, he's beaten them time and time again.
@There
Trump didn't beat the Democrats: Putin did. Thanks for cheering him on.
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. . . but the big meany Pelosi - that uppity woman! - is taking away the baby’s TV time!
No SOTU to blame the #TrumpShutdown on the Dems! Oh, poor little fat man.
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@There
This is not a partisan issue, except in the fact that the Republicans are shot through and through with the corruption of Russian money. To make it about anything other than patriotism is to miss the thing that will tear our country apart if it is not stopped. How did Conservatives, Tea Partiers, and Trump supporters co-opt the American flag as their symbol when they are so ready to hand us over to the Russians?
I keep asking, Why do Republican Senators have fidelity only to party and not the constitution? and after yesterday's vote it is clear that they are mostly self-serving (you pick whatever adjective or expletive suits you) who don't have the courage to serve our Republic.
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When is the public going to realize that the GOP attracts the greedmongers who put money and power above country? These fops stood by while a draft dodger trashed John McCain, and they said nothing.
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42 senators have just become complicit in President Trump's collusion with Russia and the destabilization of the United States.
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The times should seriously consider changing this headline, out the responsibility for this where it belong: on the Senate Republicans who failed to vote to take continue to impose sanctions on those who interferes with our election
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Thank you for publishing the names of the Republicans who did the right thing and voted for the measure. Sadly, Sen. Portman of Ohio is not among them. How shocking that he cannot summon the spine to support this measure in the face of incontrovertible evidence of Russian interference in our elections and Trump’s role in it. He had a fairly easy opportunity to send a message and failed to take it, out of fear of upsetting Trump. I look forward to supporting Portman’s opponent in the next election.
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@J.
I also checked for Portman’s name. I have called, written emailed Mr. Portman, all to no avail. I will join you in supporting his opponent.
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@J.
It's easy to track how any Senators or Congressmen vote on any bill using ProPublica's project Represent - info found here:
https://projects.propublica.org/represent
This is an exceptional service for wc ProPublica deserves our thanks and support!
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This article says one Democratic Senator didn't vote on this measure. According to CNBC, that one senator was Bernie Sanders (apparently meeting with women from his 2016 campaign who said they had been sexually harassed). Sanders is an independent Senator who caucuses with the Democrats, but he's not officially a Democrat.
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@LKB Thats interesting. Sanders was one of two senators who voted against the Magnitsky Act
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@LKB According to GovTrack, Sanders voted Yea. Kristen Gillibrand did not vote?
Interesting indeed. Good to know.
Once upon a time, foreign policy had to do with the overall relations between countries. It dealt with big issues, beginning with war and peace, and somewhat less but still immense concerns, trade and tariffs. Similarly, other major aspects of social functioning are at issue in discussions with foreign diplomats.
In place of such traditional and consequential relations with the outside world, the political parties, and legislative and executive branches, are battering one another over a grudge match with a super-rich Russian, one Oleg V. Deripaska.
This is foreign policy? Even if Deripaska and his billions were wiped from the face of the earth by the sanctions, would it make the slightest difference to Russian-American relations?
Whether you're a hawk or dove on Russia, you should demand that such Mickey Mouse spats be dropped as allowable US behavior.
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Reassuring to see that Republican congresswomen and men are not 100% in lockstep with trump. Pity that this display of integrity is probably due more to polling results than inner conviction...
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Anyone who believes Deripaska and Putin do not personally benefit from the lifting of these sanctions is naive or foolish. Deripaska is as separated from his empire by reportedly ceding control as Trump is from his by placing control in hands of his sons.....that is to say not at all. Many of the GOP Senators who support lifting of sanctions are likely as addicted to Russian “contributions” as Trump. It’s the only explanation for their deference to both. Nobody should be surprised by the NRA Russian money connection either. “Draining the swamp” is a joke....the alligators have simply developed a taste for vodka and caviar.
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I was interested to see how Fox News reported this story. i went to foxnews.com and there was nothing. And I'm not talking about nothing "above the fold". There was no mention at all. Not even a slanted version of the events. I searched under "Russian sanctions" and under "Derispaska". I shouldn't be shocked, but I am.
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Well to be fair there were important stories about migrant caravans, kidnapped women, and the latest on AOC that needed to be reported on first.
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@Andy Lundberg you forgot about a Gillette ad that urges men to have empathy for his fellow man
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The abundance of Russian money flowing from the NRA’s coffers into Republican hands is tantamount to a once-removed bribe. Flood our streets with guns AND buy the acquiescence of GOP senators - it’s two for one for Putin.
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Where were Murkowski and Romney, the so-called voices of responsibility? And why did Sanders not vote? With those three, the threshold of 60 would have been cleared.
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@Ockham9
That's most likely not true. The Republicans planned everything behind the scenes so that the 60 vote threshold would never be met, but certain senators in vulnerable states up for 2020 re-election (Colorado, Maine) could vote for cloture. If Murkowski and Romney had insisted on voting with the Dems, the GOP leadership would have pressured other GOP senators to vote against it so that the sanctions wouldn't be lifted.
10
The 42 republican senators who voted to eliminate sanctions on Deripaska should be asked why they voted that way every day and through the next election. Why do they support conspiracy with Russia? Can they confirm that they have never accepted Russian campaign donations directly or through a shell company? Why have they allowed so much corruption from the Trump administration?
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I absolutely agree that us citizens need to be demanding accountability and uncovering conflicts related to their donors. Not to do so taints us with complicity.
However, this is often an exercise in futility. I have asked my Senator David Perdue, Republican, just those questions. Have asked similar questions via his webpage, through calls to his office and Twitter. Never have I received a cogent response.
Nonetheless, lack of individual action opens the door for the of inexplicable lack of political action described in this article.
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@Ken
Agreed. At every town hall, every pubic event, every meeting - David Perdue should be confronted with his voting record, his complicity and his capitulation. That is how we hold them accountable. That is how change came in the House. They must be held accountable.
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@Deirdre
More importantly, we need to ask the constituents of these senators why they are willing to support candidates who are willing to support the Trump administrations reckless deference with regard to Russia. This is the key. It is these voters who continually enable the worst political instincts from their elected leaders. The truly sad thing is, the senate majority was elected by a minority of Americans.
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Many thanks for your article Kenneth, from a seemingly innocuous article in a GOP controlled Senate, I feel this a relevant though nascent story. Question... in all the Senate/ GOP meetings, has enough been disclosed to Republican Senators that this vote becomes obstruction?
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The ads for the next election are writing themselves...
But by then, hopefully we’ll know what Russia has on most of these GOPers. Please hurry Mueller!
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We should boycott all companies that support the Republicans who voted against the sanctions. Just another action by the Republicans that is treasonous and shamefully consistent.
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Americans, remember the names of the republican senators who voted against lifting the sanctions of the Russian oligarch. They voted for America instead of the toadies whose votes are for their own self-interest .
Hopefully they will give the courage to other republican senators to act for us and repudiate trump and McConnell who seem to prefer an autocratic government instead of our democracy. Perhaps these brave senators might become the new leaders of the Republican Party that we can vote for instead of holding our noses. We are tired of being held hostage to these people who mumble loyalty to the constitution but will not vote for the people whose lives and livelihood are being destroyed by this manufactured shutdown and a self serving president who backed himself into a corner and cannot find a way out of this impasse that will allow him to declare victory .
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Pay attention all payments by those companies... they generally pay everyone involved, some more than others based on party. Citizens United does not force party allegiance.
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There is definitely dark money flowing to these Republicans behind this vote. There is no other explanation, the Republican Congress is selling out the American people to enrich themselves.
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@ad Campaign dollars flowed from Russia to the NRA who in turned passed it on to McConnell mto the tune opf millions of dollars. Other questions ?
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We learned recently of some sort of weird relationship between McConnell and selected Russians. Should Congress look at that?
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Mitch McConnell strikes another blow for autocracy. When historians discuss who led the attack on American governance and values, Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich (who introduced the shutdown) and Dick Cheney will occupy the podium. The unholy trinity of Republicans against the republic.
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Collusion is a secret agreement to conspire and act together for an illegal, fraudulent or treacherous purpose. The words collusion and conspiracy come up a lot with Trump’s name attached to them. We also need to look at the Republican Party as a whole and Mitch McConnell as an individual and go beyond the assumption that they are just protecting the president. We need to look at why they are ceding the power they were given by our Constitution to be a check and balance on the president. Why don’t the Republicans show any desire to actually be the third branch of government our forefathers set them up to be? Instead, they bury their head in the sand and roll over and play dead and let Trump appear to control their puppet strings. Maybe, the Republican Party and individuals in it also collided with the Russian’s to maintain their grip on power and win elections. We need to know why they stick together like a glob of undefined moral character, with no backbone, rather than standing as the individuals who were elected. This is something that we should strive to investigate and find answers to. The American people deserve to know if our lawmakers are truly working for us or just giving us lip service to keep their ties to Russia or any other foreign adversary secret. We need to know whether our elected Representatives and Senators are working in our best interest or for Russia or any other entities who’s purpose it is to weaken or destroy our country.
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I suspect that the Russians have “compromat” on a much deeper segment of the Republican Party than we know.
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Kompromat on many of them from hacked emails?
4
@S Fred
I am going to do something extremely out of character: defend the GOP. Let me begin by saying that I abhor conservative politics, whether social or fiscal. Not a fan of the GOP.
Their bowing down to trump may not be due to Russian "ownership" of the GOP (maybe co-ownership with the NRA would be closer to the truth ;). I would suggest two alternative explanations:
1. That many in the GOP feel saddled with an abhorrent president. Nonetheless, they feel (errantly, in my opinion) that it is in the country's best interest to stick with him even when at times he does something outlandish, so they can further their conservative agenda. trump has been for the most part a legislative failure so far -- rather astounding given that the GOP controlled all levels of government until last November. But the GOP have gotten the USSC tilted further in the direction they want, lower courts have been stocked with right-wing judges, and there have been legislative successes (to conservatives) such as the feed-the-rich tax cuts and facilitating environmental plunder thanks to an environment-hostile EPA. So they might simply not want to rock their wobbling boat.
2. Sadly, most GOP supporters are unconditional trump supporters. The GOP may fear that if they dump trump, he would start up a new party and take the vast majority of GOP supporters with him.
Either way the GOP is acting abhorrently, but my gut feeling is that it is not because the entire party is owned by Putin.
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Who are the Republic senators that did NOT vote in favor of SANCTIONS?
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@H.PRAT
All but the 11 listed in the last paragraph of the articles.
1
This tells us how obsequious and complicit the Republicans in the Senate are with Trump that they would lift sanctions against a close ally of Putin at this time. There is a plethora of evidence that Trump's campaign conspired with Russia to destabilize our government and interfere with our presidential election.
I can only hope that millions of Americans share my disgust with the disgraceful and treasonous behavior of these members of our Senate. I do applaud the 11 Republicans that did the right thing and voted on the side of country's national security.
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@Stephen
Indeed. Co-conspirators working against the interests of the Untied States of America.
I imagine there will be a little extra in their paychecks. What is the exchange rate between rubles and dollars these days? Or are dollars becoming irrelevant...
5