Susan Wright on the Right
At what point does it become “ok” to talk about treason and anti-American activities with this corrupt Trump administration?
So starry-eyed and enamored of the murderous Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin, is Donald Trump, that we’re now in a position where we have to wonder if our president would willingly hand over American citizens to be questioned by a hostile foreign government.
This is a bad situation, and not a complete shock to those of us who tried so desperately to sound the alarm before a man with the lack of morals and corrupt baggage that Donald Trump drags behind him ever got near the Oval Office.
So this is where we are, now.
On Monday, Trump stood beside Putin in a press conference and fawned over his strength, all while throwing our intelligence community under the bus. It was a disgusting display, and no subsequent attempts at a walk back could ever paint over that dirt.
As a matter of fact, when asked earlier Wednesday about whether he feels Russia is still targeting the United States, the president said “no” and moved on.
And if you thought that was the end of it, then you underestimate the persuasive power of the former KGB agent, left alone for two hours, unmonitored, with his biggest fan.
On Wednesday, news emerged that President Trump is considering handing over American citizens, including a former American ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, to be questioned by Russian officials.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders fielded those questions.
Sanders said during a White House press briefing that Trump is “gonna meet with his team” to talk about the potential for Russian officials to question U.S. citizens like Michael McFaul, who was ambassador to Russia from January 2012 to February 2014.
“There was some conversation about it, but there wasn’t a commitment made on behalf of the United States,” Sanders said. “The president will work with his team and we’ll let you know if there’s an announcement on that front.”
That’s a conversation that requires consideration?
The only acceptable response to such a request involves several expletives and a firm “NO.”
It seems Putin is the only one President Trump can’t say “no” to.
So what’s this all about?
President Putin said on Monday, as Trump gazed on at him with the kind of devotion that only comes from an asset, that he would allow U.S. investigators with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team to travel to Russia and sit in on the questioning of twelve Russians that were recently indicted in the probe on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In return, Putin wants a chance to interrogate several U.S. citizens for what he calls “illegal actions in the territory of Russia.”
Russia state-owned outlet RT reported that Russia wanted to question McFaul and Christopher Steele, author of the so-called Steele dossier, and others in its investigation into American financier Bill Browder. Browder is a prominent critic of Putin who lobbied on behalf of the Magnitsky Act, which imposed sanctions against Russia.
During Monday’s press conference, Putin alleged without evidence that Browder illegally transferred $1.5 billion out of Russia and had funneled $400 million toward Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. The Russian prosecutor’s office later corrected that figure to $400,000.
Browder is calling it all hogwash. It never happened.
The State Department seems to be desperately attempting to walk the fine line between policy and Trump’s chaotic devotion to all things Russia.
“Well, I can’t answer on behalf of the White House with regard to that,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said at a press briefing. “But what I can tell you is that the overall assertions that have come out of the Russian government are absolutely absurd. The fact that they want to question 11 American citizens and the assertions that the Russian government is making about those American citizens, we do not stand by those assertions that the Russian government makes.”
She also noted that she understood why the request to interview Americans would be “a grave concern to our former colleagues here.”
In other words, Trump could order them all turned over tomorrow, if not sooner.
McFaul sent out a series of tweets to dispute what it appears is being alleged against him.
Hey WH press Corps, can you confirm tomorrow with @PressSec that Putin discussed me personally in his one on one with Trump? Did he suggest that I was part of some alleged money laundering scheme? And did Trump push back on this completely invented , whacko idea?
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
Probably not. He believes what Putin tells him to believe.
Exactly. Putin feels that he has an ally in @realDonaldTrump in going after me & the other US government officials on that list. President Trump could clear that up in one tweet or statement. https://t.co/utNAkKx5bG
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
That’s true.
I really hope Trump did not agree with this "great deal" with Putin in Helsinki: "Russia wants to question Christopher Steele, Michael McFaul, top politicians for aiding Bill Browder" — RT World News https://t.co/Tv1q6pBNUF
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
With Trump, you can’t be sure.
It sure looks that way right now. I hope @SecPompeo and @PressSec will clear up the record today. https://t.co/w1i4CTbloH
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 18, 2018
Unfortunately, they did not.
They didn’t, so I would advise you watch your back.
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