Today, in the United States Senate, there was only one negative vote on the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO membership:
Question: On the Resolution of Ratification (Resolution of Ratification for Treaty Document No. 117-3, as Amended )
Vote Number: 282
Vote Date: August 3, 2022, 05:42 PM
Required For Majority: 2/3Vote
Result: Resolution of Ratification Agreed to
Treaty Number: Treaty Doc. 117-3
Treaty Title: Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden
Vote Counts:
YEAs95
NAYs1
[….] NAYs —1
Hawley (R-MO)
[….]
[emphasis added]
Clown.
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
This should have been as easy as voting for mom and apple pie.
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 115 H RES 831
2/3 YEA-AND-NAY
5-Apr-2022 4:10 PM
QUESTION: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as Amended
BILL TITLE: Calling on the United States Government to uphold the founding democratic principles of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
[….]
— YEAS 362 —
Bush
Cleaver
Graves (MO)
Hartzler
Luetkemeyer
Wagner
—- NAYS 63 —
Biggs
Boebert
Gaetz
Gohmert
Greene (GA) Long
Smith (MO)
—- NOT VOTING 4 —
[….]
Billy Long (r) [2021 file photo]
Jason Smith (r) [2021 file photo]
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
I am the very model of a Russian Major-General,
I’ve been shot by snipers, Javelins, and rockets fired aerial,
I lose the tanks of Moscow, as farmers laugh hysterical,
From Donetsk to Odessa, we are fighting terrible.
I am the very model of a dead Major-General,
I’ve war-crimed, bombed, and pillaged like a goddamn savage animal,
My body blown to bits, you’d be surprised how very flammable,
History will judge me and condemn me categorical.
I tried to throw a punch with VDV and choppers aerial,
Objectives – making vassal state, a Russian periferia,
Turned to shelling cities – tactics simply catastrophical,
I am the very model of a Russian Major-General.
I am the very model of a Russian Major-General,
In tanks and men and ammo we are overwhelming numerical,
Still defeated by a woman throwing jars of pickled tomatoes,
All across Ukraine our logistics are so terrible.
I am the very model of a Russian major-general,
To murder of civilians and their kids I am amenable,
But Ukrainian resistance is so strong this is untenable,
Now only Comrade Putin thinks this cluster fuck is winnable.
The Hague will have a verdict, they’ll say I am a criminal.
A rope around my neck until I’m cold just like a popsicle,
If only our procurement bought us more tanks, trucks, and vehicles,
I am the very model of a Russian Major General.
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
BRIEFING ROOM
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 2, 2022
FEBRUARY 02, 2022 PRESS BRIEFINGS
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
12:35 P.M. EST
[….]
Q Senator Hawley was out with a statement today saying that the — that the President should, sort of, take NATO membership off the table for Ukraine and that it wasn’t in U.S. interests to do that. Do you think that sort of rhetoric or, sort of, position by a U.S. senator right now is helpful in this — in this showdown between the West and Russia?
MS. PSAKI: Well, if you are just digesting Russian misinformation and parroting Russian talking points, you are not aligned with longstanding, bipartisan American values, which is to stand up for the sovereignty of countries — like Ukraine, but others: their right to choose their own alliances and, also, to stand against, very clearly, the efforts or attempts or potential attempts by any country to invade and take territory of another country.
That applies to Senator Hawley, but it also applies to others who may be parroting the talking points of Russian propagandist leaders.
[….]
Q Thank you, Jen. On the troops that were deployed today —
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q — you’ve said that they aren’t going to be fighting; they’ll be there to offer support. Can you offer any details about exactly what they will be doing there?
And also, about the distribution to these specific countries — why these three places? And why the 2,000 versus 1,000?
MS. PSAKI: Sure, well, what — to be clear, they’re not going to Ukraine to fight, right?
Q Correct. Right.
MS. PSAKI: In a — so, I know that’s what you were asking, but just for clarity for the transcript purposes.
So, this — our effort and our objective here has been to ensure we are ready for every contingency, and force posture increases as part of that preparedness. It’s to reassure our Allies — to whom, as I’ve said, we have a sacred obligation.
This force — or these forces who have gone are trained and equipped for a variety of missions: to deter aggression, and to reassure and defend our Allies.
In terms of why the specific numbers, I’d really point you the Department of Defense, who makes the recommendations and, ultimately, you know, proposes for the President to sign off.
I would note that a number of our NATO Allies have recently announced troop movements as well, similar to what was announced this morning — so, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands — of their intent to deploy additional forces to reinforce NATO’s easter flank — eastern flank as well. So, this is a reflection of our robust capabilities and our ability to distribute them across Europe, but it’s also consistent with a lot of — what a lot of our NATO partners are doing.
Q John Kirby said that the Pentagon has not ruled out deploying additional troops. Under what conditions would that happen?
MS. PSAKI: These, again, are — these decisions were based on close consultations with our partners in the region; the countries where these troops have been deployed to, of course; and also, the escalatory actions by Russia. But, you know, obviously the President is meeting with his national security team on nearly a daily basis and will make evaluations as needed.
[….]
“…That applies to Senator Hawley, but it also applies to others who may be parroting the talking points of Russian propagandist leaders…”
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…
Jason Kander (D) [2016 file photo].
Last night:
Jason Kander @JasonKander
In Syria (and in Ukraine), Trump basically switched which side we were on in a war. He switched us to the Russian side. Counter to America’s interest, over and over, he does what’s best for Russia. (1/x) 11:19 PM · Oct 6, 2019
Jason Kander @JasonKander
He has no strong convictions on foreign policy other than when he’s advancing Russia’s agenda or defending Putin.
He is obviously compromised. Why are we acting as though there’s any chance in the world he’s not? (2/x) 11:21 PM · Oct 6, 2019
Jason Kander @JasonKander
It doesn’t even matter if there’s Russian money in his businesses or whether there’s a pee tape. At this point, he’s EITHER afraid they’ll undermine his legitimacy by admitting they helped him win OR that they won’t help him win next time. Either way, Russia owns him! (3/x) 11:26 PM · Oct 6, 2019
Jason Kander @JasonKander
At every step of the way, he is executing Russian foreign policy. He is basically Putin’s foreign minister. They have him. It’s over.
This is his way of changing the news cycle for the week. No one will be talking about Ukraine or impeachment. They will now be talking about his latest disgusting act as POTUS
Unfortunately, impeaching Trump won’t remove him from office, unless a whole bunch of a Republican senators find both a moral compass and a spine. The entire GOP is compromised.
How can the vets is the Senate who helped fight ISIS support this? How can they stay quiet? #GOPCowards
Donald Trump is America’s Quisling! Cowardly Republicans remain silent and complicit
The Kurds are now in unbelievable danger. This is our thank you for all they’ve done for us?
you’re entirely wrong. I read about these real Americans in a diner in Ohio and this policy shift re Syria/Turkey/Kurds is *exactly* why they voted for him. That and her emails, obv. #notfunnyiknow
This has been in the works for at least a year. Mattis resigned over this. It’s a terrible day for America.
Trump isn’t loyal to anyone but himself, just ask his ex-wives.
And his current one.
This is why transcripts of conversations with Putin need to be released. What is Trump’s quid pro quo on this arrangement?
Yes we need to see the Putin/trump transcripts ASAP
#DonTheCon is #PutinsPuppet
“He’s just doing it to ‘gig’ the media”….said the sycophants.
In light of what we now know about @realDonaldTrump’s willingness to let foreign influence and personal emoluments determine US foreign policy, we need to ask what prompted this major policy shift. #Turkey #Kurds
Well, you’ve got to give #Trump points for obedience.
Putin putting pressure on an asset he knows is about to become worthless
She warned us.
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
Who is it who really, really wants to keep the congress in GOP hands? If you wanna know just take a look at who’s targeting Missouri’s Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, widely perceived to be vulnerable to raging Trumpites when she comes up for reelection this November.
There’s the 1% -the folks like the Kochs who – via their front group, Americans for Prosperity – are throwing $1.8 million dollars in ad buys at her. They think that emphasizing the GOP shaft-the-middle-class tax cut will do the trick. I guess the richest of the rich really like increasing the national debt on the backs of working Americans. (Didn’t Republicans oppose debt once upon a time? Like when it was a question of providing Americans with healthcare? And there wasn’t any debt increase in spite their efforts to gull the gullible?)
But, hey, we’ve known for years about how wealthy Americans try to purchase elections with their talking – no – their shouting, money. Nothing new to see there. Sadly.
The Russian intelligence agency behind the 2016 election cyberattacks targeted Sen. Claire McCaskill as she began her 2018 re-election campaign in earnest, a Daily Beast forensic analysis reveals. That makes the Missouri Democrat the first identified target of the Kremlin’s 2018 election interference.
“Russia continues to engage in cyber warfare against our democracy,” McCaskill said in a press release Thursday evening. “While this attack was not successful, it is outrageous that they think they can get away with this. I will not be intimidated. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is a thug and a bully.”
McCaskill was one of three midterm candidates targeted by “spearphishing” efforts. We’ve known that such attacks (and other types of meddling) were likely for some time but our intrepid GOP-majority congress and the Russia-friendly Trump administration have dithered and done little to forestall the threat. Missouri’s own Secretary of State, jolly little Jay Ashcroft, has said domestic election fraud is a bigger threat in November – despite no evidence to that effect.
But, hey, Senator McCaskill doesn’t need to worry – no less an eminence than our reality star president has acknowledged the threat. He just declared that the Russians are hard at work to help Democrats. Because he’s so hard on the Russians (not).
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging a Russian national with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation within the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Maria Butina, 29, a Russian citizen residing in Washington D.C., was arrested on July 15, 2018, in Washington, D.C., and made her initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was ordered held pending a hearing set for July 18, 2018.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, from as early as 2015 and continuing through at least February 2017, Butina worked at the direction of a high-level official in the Russian government who was previously a member of the legislature of the Russian Federation and later became a top official at the Russian Central Bank. This Russian official was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control in April 2018.
The court filings detail the Russian official’s and Butina’s efforts for Butina to act as an agent of Russia inside the United States by developing relationships with U.S. persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics, for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation. The filings also describe certain actions taken by Butina to further this effort during multiple visits from Russia and, later, when she entered and resided in the United States on a student visa. The filings allege that she undertook her activities without officially disclosing the fact that she was acting as an agent of Russian government, as required by law.
The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
There’s some very interesting stuff in the affidavit:
[….]
7. U.S. Person 1 is a United States citizen and an American political operative. BUTINA established contact with U.S. Person 1 in Moscow in or around 2013. U.S. person 1 worked with Butina to jointly arrange introductions to U.S. persons having influence in American politics, including an organization promoting gun rights (hereinafter “GUN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION”), for the purpose of advancing the agenda of the Russian Federation.
[….]
I can’t wait for the explanation from the “gun rights organization”.
Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton
Great World Cup. Question for President Trump as he meets Putin: Do you know which team you play for? 7:15 PM – 15 Jul 2018
