While Donald Trump was once again hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office on Wednesday, with no media allowed, Senate Democrats were attempting once again to bring legislation to protect the next election from Russian interference to the Senate floor. Once again, Moscow Mitch McConnell's minions blocked it.
Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked for unanimous consent to pass the Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines, or DETER, Act. The legislation would make sure there is a "very tough price to pay" if Russia were to interfere again, he said: "It's designed to send a very clear and simple message to Russia or any other country that is thinking about interfering in our elections and undermining our democracy that if we catch you, you will suffer a severe penalty."
Idaho Republican Sen. Mike Crapo, on Moscow Mitch's marching orders, blocked the bill, saying, ridiculously, "I think that President Trump has probably put more sanctions on the Russians than any president in our history." By a rough count, from 2014 to January 2017, the Obama administration leveled new or extended existing sanctions against Russia a little over two dozen times. Trump has done so 8 times. And, with the help of Moscow Mitch, he has lifted them against some of those sanctioned at the end of Obama's final term for election interference. Which in part allowed McConnell's home state of Kentucky to land that $200 million investment from Russia for a new aluminum mill.
Speaking of Russian interference, Lavrov thanked Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for opening their doors to him this week by saying, "We have highlighted once again that all speculation about our alleged interference in domestic processes in the US are baseless. There are no facts that would support that […] no one has given us this proof because it simply does not exist." So he's in good standing with Senate Republicans, whose new thing is to pretend that the entire intelligence community in the U.S. is full of it. Lavrov also said of his meeting with Pompeo, "We haven't even discussed elections." Pompeo, however, insists Lavrov was warned about future interference. Clearly it made a big impression on him.
Moscow Mitch and his minions are making sure Lavrov and Putin have nothing to fear from interfering again in 2020. They're practically inviting them to do it.
We have to end this logjam. Please give $1 to our nominee fund to help Democrats and end McConnell's career as Senate majority leader.