Roll Call runs a piece about the US Senate possibly writing up new sanctions against Russia in response to Putin mischief….
Sounds encouraging , eh?
We’ll see….
Republicans talk a week game and walk an even weaker one….
Trump is hot mess right now, but most Republicans won’t touch him….
Don’t want to get burned by their voters…
“Sanctions, sanctions, sanctions,” Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, among a handful of red-state Democrats for whom criticizing Trump is potentially risky business, said when asked what lawmakers should do after the president’s Putin summit stumble. He described as “damaging” Trump’s dismissing of U.S. intelligence agencies on foreign soil while standing beside a man members of both parties and intel officials consider a U.S. adversary.
Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner applauded the GOP members who expressed concern over Trump’s remarks, saying more Republicans have spoken out now compared to previous Trump controversies.
“But simply putting out a statement is not enough,” the Virginia Democrat said Tuesday. “If Congress doesn’t act, then I think we give a signal to the rest of the world that this is the new American policy, a policy that embraces Putin and all he represents.”
Warner, who along with Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard M. Burr of North Carolina is leading the panel’s ongoing Russia election meddling probe, said senators are “exploring what options” they have to respond.
“I hope it would be stronger than a sense of the Senate,” he said, referring to a nonbinding measure that would not propose new Russia sanctions or try to check presidential foreign policy powers. He added that the group hopes to roll out something “shortly.”
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn indicated Tuesday that the Senate may vote on additional Russian sanctions in the coming weeks.
“I think what we ought to focus on is additional sanctions rather than just some messaging exercise,” the Texas Republican said, noting that Colorado GOP Sen. Cory Gardner is working on some type of package. “That was one of the things Sen. [Charles E.] Schumer mentioned where I think we could find common ground to turn the screws.”….