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July 20, 2018

Senate Votes 98-0 Against Russian Interrogations of U.S. Officials
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Meanwhile, the White House on Thursday said it was no longer considering
an unprecedented proposal that would have seen Russian interrogators
question former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael Mc Faul and other U.S.
citizens-in exchange for allowing special counsel Robert Mueller's team
to interview 12 Russians indicted last week for allegedly hacking the
emails of Democrats during the 2016 election. Trump was initially warm
to the proposal, proposed by Vladimir Putin, calling it "an incredible
offer." But Trump reversed course Thursday after the Senate voted 98 to
0 for a nonbinding resolution opposing any such deal, and after current
and former diplomats rallied to the defense of Mc Faul, saying Trump's
move would undermine the bedrock principle of diplomatic immunity. The
resolution came after Republican leaders barred a vote on two other
Russia-related measures. One, proposed by Vermont independent Senator
Bernie Sanders, would have demanded President Trump speak with special
counsel Robert Mueller. Another resolution would have backed the finding
by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016
election. That resolution had the support of Arizona Republican Senator
Jeff Flake.

Sen. Jeff Flake: "Mr. President, in his dystopian novel '1984,' George
Orwell wrote, quote, 'The party told you to reject the evidence of your
eyes and ears. It was their most essential-most final, essential
command,' unquote. Well, we saw earlier this week in Helsinki what was
truly an Orwellian moment."



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