Yes, you read that right. We have Russian people who are sanctioned for their actions. Someone invited them over for a visit, pshaw-ing at concerns of what they might see and how it could be used, possibly by Putin, in both the war with Ukraine and the war in Iran. Yes, they are still pounding on Ukraine and show no signs of stopping. There is a rumor going around that we’re going to stop helping them, and that makes me furious! I check for news every day. Most people have forgotten about it, but I, and I hope you, have not.
Okay, went a bit sideways there. I do a few things for Ukraine. No, nothing I get paid for. Donations and occasionally writing. It’s near and dear to my heart. But now, back to the Russians. Who had the bright idea to do this? Trump? Tulsi? Rubio? It was a moronic thing to do. We already know Russia has a lot on us, thanks to Trump, Tulsi, and the maladministration. Why on earth would we want them to have easy access to more? With appreciation for Raw Story:
A bipartisan duo of senators fired off a furious letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, demanding to know how a delegation of Russian lawmakers was allowed to visit Capitol Hill and tour it with members of Congress.
The letter, sent by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), flagged the serious national security concerns at stake, noting that all the visitors from the Russian Duma who held meetings with members of Congress and the executive branch are subject to U.S. sanctions.
That’s a stupid thing to do. Subject to sanctions, yet they come over and get to visit the heart of our nation. They might not have gotten anything. They also might have gotten a lot. There’s no way to tell if and when something was taken until it shows up somewhere. Yep, that’s a cause for concern. Just what we need with all that’s going on, yes?
“As you know, unlike the U.S. Congress, the Duma is not a separate and equal branch of government,” the senators wrote. “Its members include Kremlin subordinates who have committed numerous cyber and ransomware attacks on Americans and have facilitated war crimes against Ukrainian civilians.
Remarkably, they are today helping Iran target U.S. military and diplomatic personnel across the Middle East. The delegation came onto U.S. soil for one purpose: to advance the Kremlin’s strategic aims, including gathering additional useful intelligence. They did not come to engage in dialogue or in pursuit of democratic aims.”
Yes, no matter what ‘president’ Putin says, they are not a democracy, and they are nothing like the US. Well, mostly. There’s just as much grifting going on there as is happening here, starting with *our* ‘president’. With everything Trump is pulling, we’re becoming more like them than America was born to be. Democracy is fading fast. That’s wretched.
All of this, they noted, comes as Putin not only continues to menace Ukraine but is providing weaponry to Iran to repel the U.S. military from the region. “It is troubling that, despite those concerns, the U.S. government would give these individuals access to U.S. government institutions,” the senators wrote.
“It is important that Congress and the public understand the scope of the Russian delegation’s actions here in the United States and the access they may have had to sensitive information.” They concluded by asking a series of questions of Rubio and Bessent, including “What is the justification for waiving sanctions on these individuals?” and “Was a counterintelligence assessment conducted for all individuals traveling to the U.S.?“
No justification and no counterintelligence would be my guess. It may be harsh, but could this have been something Trump did to make Putin happy? I wouldn’t put it past him. It really doesn’t make any sense for them to come over and have this tour. There is no reason I can think of, from the possible to the outlandish, for this to happen. The waiting game is frustrating, and we may never find out, unless someone dares leak or a whistleblower comes out. So seriously, that is going *on* here?
Apologies for the out-of-focus picture. It was the only one I could find. See you soon!
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise that among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest-working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
