TEEING UP OF THAT. MUCH APPRECIATE IT. MUCH APPRECIATE IT. THANKS TO YOU AS WELL AT HOME THANKS TO YOU AS WELL AT HOME FOR JOINING US THIS HOUR. FOR JOINING US THIS HOUR. HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. I TOOK A WEEK’S VACATION EARLIER I TOOK A WEEK’S VACATION EARLIER THIS SUMMER, LONG PLANNED, TOOK THIS SUMMER, LONG PLANNED, TOOK SOME DAYS AT THE END OF JULY. SOME DAYS AT THE END OF JULY. SUSAN AND I PLANNED TO SEND SOME SUSAN AND I PLANNED TO SEND SOME TIME AT THE BEACH. TIME AT THE BEACH. I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, JUST BEFORE AND THEN, OF COURSE, JUST BEFORE MY VACATION DAYS ROLLED AROUND, MY VACATION DAYS ROLLED AROUND, NATURALLY, I FELL DOWN. NATURALLY, I FELL DOWN. I ROLLED OVER ON MY ANKLE AND I ROLLED OVER ON MY ANKLE AND SNAPPED LIGAMENTS. SNAPPED LIGAMENTS. SO THIS MEANT MY BEACH VACATION SO THIS MEANT MY BEACH VACATION WAS NOW GOING TO BE A BEACH WAS NOW GOING TO BE A BEACH VACATION ON CRUTCHES. VACATION ON CRUTCHES. AND THERE’S NOTHING MORE AND THERE’S NOTHING MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE FUN AND MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE FUN AND MORE RELAXING THAN CRUTCHING AROUND RELAXING THAN CRUTCHING AROUND IN THE SAND. IN THE SAND. WHAT THIS MEANT IN PRACTICE WAS WHAT THIS MEANT IN PRACTICE WAS THAT I SPENT WHAT WAS SUPPOSED THAT I SPENT WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY BEACH VACATION NOT ON TO BE MY BEACH VACATION NOT ON THE BEACH BECAUSE I COULDN’T GET THE BEACH BECAUSE I COULDN’T GET MYSELF THERE. MYSELF THERE. I INSTEAD SPENT MOST OF MY I INSTEAD SPENT MOST OF MY VACATION ON THE COUCH. VACATION ON THE COUCH. WHICH MEANT THAT THIS WAS PRETTY WHICH MEANT THAT THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH THE VIEW FOR MY BEACH MUCH THE VIEW FOR MY BEACH VACATION. VACATION. A FASCINATING NEW PENTAGON WHITE A FASCINATING NEW PENTAGON WHITE PAPER THAT I READ ON MY TIME PAPER THAT I READ ON MY TIME OFF. OFF. IT’S CALLED "RUSSIAN STRATEGIC IT’S CALLED "RUSSIAN STRATEGIC INTENTIONS." INTENTIONS." A STRATEGIC MULTILAYER A STRATEGIC MULTILAYER ASSESSMENT. ASSESSMENT. YEAH. YEAH. HAPPY VACATION, HONEY. HAPPY VACATION, HONEY. THIS IS HOW I KNOW SUSAN LOVES THIS IS HOW I KNOW SUSAN LOVES ME. ME. SHE’S LIKE, NO, ONHON, IT’S OKAY SHE’S LIKE, NO, ONHON, IT’S OKAY I’LL WALK THE DOG. I’LL WALK THE DOG. YOU READ YOUR PENTAGON WHITE YOU READ YOUR PENTAGON WHITE PAPER. PAPER. THAT’S COOL. THAT’S COOL. LET ME KNOW HOW IT ENDS. LET ME KNOW HOW IT ENDS. THE "WASHINGTON POST" AND "TIME" THE "WASHINGTON POST" AND "TIME" MAGAZINE HAVE BOTH WITHIN THE MAGAZINE HAVE BOTH WITHIN THE PAST 24 HOURS PUBLISHED BIG NEW PAST 24 HOURS PUBLISHED BIG NEW SCOOPS ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN SCOOPS ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN LEADER OF THE SENATE, MITCH LEADER OF THE SENATE, MITCH McCONNELL, AND SOMETHING THAT McCONNELL, AND SOMETHING THAT RUSSIA IS NOW DOING IN HIS HOME RUSSIA IS NOW DOING IN HIS HOME STATE. STATE. TOM HAMBURGER IS THE LEAD TOM HAMBURGER IS THE LEAD REPORTER OF THE "WASHINGTON REPORTER OF THE "WASHINGTON POST’S" PIECE. POST’S" PIECE. HE’S GOING TO BE JOINING US LIVE HE’S GOING TO BE JOINING US LIVE IN JUST A MOMENT. IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT THERE’S SOMETHING FROM MY BUT THERE’S SOMETHING FROM MY VACATION, FROM MY COZY COUCH VACATION, FROM MY COZY COUCH TIME WITH MY CRUTCHES AND THE TIME WITH MY CRUTCHES AND THE PENTAGON’S LATEST STRATEGIC PENTAGON’S LATEST STRATEGIC MULTIYEAR ASSESSMENT ON RUSSIAN MULTIYEAR ASSESSMENT ON RUSSIAN STRATEGIC INTENTIONS, THERE IS STRATEGIC INTENTIONS, THERE IS SOMETHING FROM THAT VACATION SOMETHING FROM THAT VACATION READING THAT I DID THAT HAS BEEN READING THAT I DID THAT HAS BEEN REALLY, LIKE, PINGING LIKE AN REALLY, LIKE, PINGING LIKE AN ALARM CLOCK IN MY HEAD ABOUT ALARM CLOCK IN MY HEAD ABOUT THIS NEW REPORTING. THIS NEW REPORTING. IN THIS NEW PENTAGON REPORT THAT IN THIS NEW PENTAGON REPORT THAT I JUST READ, ONE OF THE MAIN I JUST READ, ONE OF THE MAIN IDEAS IS THAT RUSSIA IS IDEAS IS THAT RUSSIA IS OPERATING IN A SORT OF GRAY ZONE OPERATING IN A SORT OF GRAY ZONE IN ITS EFFORTS TO TRY TO GET IN ITS EFFORTS TO TRY TO GET WHAT IT WANTS AROUND THE WORLD, WHAT IT WANTS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY, TO GET BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY, TO GET WHAT IT WANTS AGAINST US. WHAT IT WANTS AGAINST US. A MIX OF MILITARY AND A MIX OF MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE AND SEEMINGLY INTELLIGENCE AND SEEMINGLY PRIVATE OPERATIONS THAT ARE PRIVATE OPERATIONS THAT ARE ORGANIZED BY THE CELL LENKREMLIN ORGANIZED BY THE CELL LENKREMLIN DESIGNED TO COERCE US, WEAKEN US DESIGNED TO COERCE US, WEAKEN US AS AN ADVERSARY AND A RIVAL. AS AN ADVERSARY AND A RIVAL. "WHILE THE UNITED STATES FOCUSED "WHILE THE UNITED STATES FOCUSED ON EXECUTING THE GLOBAL WAR ON ON EXECUTING THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, RUSSIA ACTIVELY PURSUED TERROR, RUSSIA ACTIVELY PURSUED MALIGN INFLUENCE IN ALL REGIONS MALIGN INFLUENCE IN ALL REGIONS OF THE WORLD TO MITIGATE THEIR OF THE WORLD TO MITIGATE THEIR INFERIOR CONVENTIONAL INFERIOR CONVENTIONAL CAPABILITY. CAPABILITY. RUSSIA HAS A GROWING AND RUSSIA HAS A GROWING AND DEMONSTRATED CAPACITY AND DEMONSTRATED CAPACITY AND WILLINGNESS TO EXERCISE MALIGN WILLINGNESS TO EXERCISE MALIGN INFLUENCE IN EUROPE AND ABROAD INFLUENCE IN EUROPE AND ABROAD INCLUDING IN THE UNITED STATES." INCLUDING IN THE UNITED STATES." "COUNTERING RUSSIAN GRAY ZONE "COUNTERING RUSSIAN GRAY ZONE EFFORTS ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO JUST EFFORTS ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO JUST THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT BUT THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT BUT MUST BE PART OF A WHOLE OF U.S. MUST BE PART OF A WHOLE OF U.S. GOVERNMENT EFFORT THAT LEVERAGES GOVERNMENT EFFORT THAT LEVERAGES ALL ELEMENTS OF U.S. NATIONAL ALL ELEMENTS OF U.S. NATIONAL POWER. POWER. RUSSIA’S GRAY ZONE TACTICS ARE RUSSIA’S GRAY ZONE TACTICS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET OF THOSE TACTICS IS DEEPLY OF THOSE TACTICS IS DEEPLY POLARIZED OR LACKS THE CAPACITY POLARIZED OR LACKS THE CAPACITY TO RESIST AND RESPOND TO RESIST AND RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGGRESSION AGGRESSION. AGGRESSION. CONVERSELY, COUNTRIES THAT ARE CONVERSELY, COUNTRIES THAT ARE RESILIENT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO RESILIENT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE THEIR POPULOUS OR DIVIDE THEIR POPULOUS OR ECONOMIC COERCION OR WIELD PROXY ECONOMIC COERCION OR WIELD PROXY FORCES, THOSE ENTITIES CAN FORCES, THOSE ENTITIES CAN BETTER HANDLE SUBCONVENTIONAL BETTER HANDLE SUBCONVENTIONAL THREATS FROM RUSSIA." THREATS FROM RUSSIA." MEANING THREATS FROM RUSSIA, MEANING THREATS FROM RUSSIA, SHORT OF ACTUAL OLD-FASHIONED SHORT OF ACTUAL OLD-FASHIONED TRADITIONAL WAR FAR. TRADITIONAL WAR FAR. AGAIN, THIS IS ATHREATS FROM RUS AGAIN, THIS IS ATHREATS FROM RUS MEANING THREATS FROM RUSSIA, MEANING THREATS FROM RUSSIA, SHORT OF ACTUAL OLD-FASHIONED SHORT OF ACTUAL OLD-FASHIONED TRADITIONAL WAR FAR. TRADITIONAL WAR FAR. AGAIN, THIS IS A PENTAGON AGAIN, THIS IS A PENTAGON RECORD. RECORD. UNSETTLING TO SEE WHEN WE LOOK UNSETTLING TO SEE WHEN WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, WE SEE RUSSIA AROUND THE WORLD, WE SEE RUSSIA USING UNDERHANDED TACTICS TO USING UNDERHANDED TACTICS TO UNDERMINE FOREIGN DEMOCRACIES, UNDERMINE FOREIGN DEMOCRACIES, COMPROMISE THE LEADERSHIP AND COMPROMISE THE LEADERSHIP AND VALUES OF OTHER COUNTRIES, TO VALUES OF OTHER COUNTRIES, TO SCREW THEM UP. SCREW THEM UP. DON’T WORRY, THERE’S A CURE. DON’T WORRY, THERE’S A CURE. DON’T WORRY, AMERICA, THE ONLY DON’T WORRY, AMERICA, THE ONLY ENTITIES, ONLY COUNTRIES THAT ENTITIES, ONLY COUNTRIES THAT REALLY WILL HAVE ANY SORT OF REALLY WILL HAVE ANY SORT OF SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM FENDING THAT SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM FENDING THAT OFF FROM RUSSIA ARE COUNTRIES OFF FROM RUSSIA ARE COUNTRIES THAT ARE DEEPLY POLARIZED. THAT ARE DEEPLY POLARIZED. OH, OH, GOOD, SO WE DON’T HAVE OH, OH, GOOD, SO WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. ALSO, THE KINDS OF COUNTRIES ALSO, THE KINDS OF COUNTRIES THAT WILL HAVE A REAL PROBLEM THAT WILL HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THIS STUFF FROM RUSSIA ARE WITH THIS STUFF FROM RUSSIA ARE THOSE WHO LACK THE KPOSTCAPACITY THOSE WHO LACK THE KPOSTCAPACITY RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. AGGRESSION. ALSO, THAT AS A LEADERSHIP ALSO, THAT AS A LEADERSHIP FACTOR MIGHT SORT OF BE A FACTOR MIGHT SORT OF BE A PROBLEM THEN. PROBLEM THEN. IF WE DON’T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO IF WE DON’T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. RESPOND TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. THE FACT IS NOBODY MUCH EXPECTS THE FACT IS NOBODY MUCH EXPECTS PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIMSELF, TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIMSELF, TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, RIGHT, OR DO AGGRESSION, RIGHT, OR DO ANYTHING TO PUSH BACK OR CONTAIN ANYTHING TO PUSH BACK OR CONTAIN RUSSIA AT ALL. RUSSIA AT ALL. ONE OF THE UNDISPUTED FINDINGS ONE OF THE UNDISPUTED FINDINGS OF WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE OF WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA DURING TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA DURING THE 2016 ELECTION WAS THAT TRUMP THE 2016 ELECTION WAS THAT TRUMP WELCOMED THEIR HELP IN TRYING TO WELCOMED THEIR HELP IN TRYING TO ELECT HIM. ELECT HIM. HE WELCOMED THEIR INTERFERENCE HE WELCOMED THEIR INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTION THAT YEAR IN OUR ELECTION THAT YEAR BECAUSE IT WOULD REDOUND TO HIM. BECAUSE IT WOULD REDOUND TO HIM. HE’S STILL TRYING TODAY TO MUDDY HE’S STILL TRYING TODAY TO MUDDY THE WATERS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE WATERS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT RUSSIA REALLY EVEN DID ANYTHING RUSSIA REALLY EVEN DID ANYTHING AT ALL LET ALONE WORRYING ABOUT AT ALL LET ALONE WORRYING ABOUT PUNISHING THEM TO IT. PUNISHING THEM TO IT. NOBODY EXPECTS ANYTHING FROM THE NOBODY EXPECTS ANYTHING FROM THE PRESIDENT, HIMSELF, IN TERMS OF PRESIDENT, HIMSELF, IN TERMS OF THE WILL TO RESIST, LET ALONE THE WILL TO RESIST, LET ALONE THE WILL TO RESPOND. THE WILL TO RESPOND. THE WILL TO HARDEN US AS A THE WILL TO HARDEN US AS A TARGET. TARGET. LET ALONE RETALIATE AGAINST LET ALONE RETALIATE AGAINST RUSSIA FOR COMING AFTER US. RUSSIA FOR COMING AFTER US. BUT IT’S INTERESTING. BUT IT’S INTERESTING. AS WORRYING AS IT IS AND AS AS WORRYING AS IT IS AND AS UNPLEASANT AS IT IS FOR US AS A UNPLEASANT AS IT IS FOR US AS A COUNTRY TO BE SOER ERIRREDEMLY COUNTRY TO BE SOER ERIRREDEMLY POLARIZED IN OUR CULTURE AND POLARIZED IN OUR CULTURE AND POLITICS RIGHT NOW, THERE POLITICS RIGHT NOW, THERE ACTUALLY HASN’T BEEN A 100% ACTUALLY HASN’T BEEN A 100% PARTISAN DIVIDE ON THIS ISSUE OF PARTISAN DIVIDE ON THIS ISSUE OF RUSSIA COMING AFTER US. RUSSIA COMING AFTER US. THERE’S A PARTISAN CAST TO HOW THERE’S A PARTISAN CAST TO HOW THE TWO PARTIES HAVE RESPONDED, THE TWO PARTIES HAVE RESPONDED, BUT EVEN IN THIS RAMSHACKLE AND BUT EVEN IN THIS RAMSHACKLE AND AT TIMES RIDICULOUS U.S. AT TIMES RIDICULOUS U.S. CONGRESS, YOU HAVE HAD SOME CONGRESS, YOU HAVE HAD SOME REPUBLICAN SUPPORT. REPUBLICAN SUPPORT. YOU HAVE HAD SOME YOU HAVE HAD SOME BIPARTISAN-SUPPORTED LEGISLATION BIPARTISAN-SUPPORTED LEGISLATION TO, FOR EXAMPLE, UP OUR ELECTION TO, FOR EXAMPLE, UP OUR ELECTION SECURITY EFFORTS HEADING INTO SECURITY EFFORTS HEADING INTO THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SINCE THE FBI SAYS RUSSIA’S SINCE THE FBI SAYS RUSSIA’S DEFINITELY GOING TO DO THE SAME DEFINITELY GOING TO DO THE SAME THING TO OUR 2020 ELECTIONS THAT THING TO OUR 2020 ELECTIONS THAT THEY DID TO 2016. THEY DID TO 2016. I MEAN, NOT EVERY REPUBLICAN I MEAN, NOT EVERY REPUBLICAN ADMITS THAT WE NEED TO SHORE UP ADMITS THAT WE NEED TO SHORE UP THOSE DEFENSES, BUT QUITE A FEW THOSE DEFENSES, BUT QUITE A FEW OF THEM DO. OF THEM DO. AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN ACTUAL AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN ACTUAL BARN EFFORT BARN EFFORT BIPARTISAN EFFORTS TO DRAFT AND BIPARTISAN EFFORTS TO DRAFT AND PUSH GOOD LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PUSH GOOD LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CHANGE OUR LAWS, THAT WOULD UP CHANGE OUR LAWS, THAT WOULD UP OUR CAPACITY AS A COUNTRY TO TRY OUR CAPACITY AS A COUNTRY TO TRY AND STOP THAT IN 2020. AND STOP THAT IN 2020. THERE’S ALSO BEEN SOME THERE’S ALSO BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT BIPARTISAN EFFORTS SIGNIFICANT BIPARTISAN EFFORTS ON SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA TO ON SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA TO RETALIATE AGAINST THEM FOR WHAT RETALIATE AGAINST THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID IN OUR ELECTION. THEY DID IN OUR ELECTION. SANCTIONS ON THE INDIVIDUALS IN SANCTIONS ON THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. SANCTIONS ON KREMLIN-CONNECTED E SANCTIONS ON KREMLIN-CONNECTED E FIGURES WHO CARRIED OUT OR FIGURES WHO CARRIED OUT OR SUPPORTED 20916 ATTACK EDED 2016 SUPPORTED 20916 ATTACK EDED 2016 THERE HAS BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT THERE HAS BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THERE. BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THERE. AND, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU OUGHT AND, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT THAT, TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT THAT, RIGHT? RIGHT? EVEN BACK IN 2016, WHEN THE EVEN BACK IN 2016, WHEN THE ATTACK WAS UNDER WAY, PRESIDENT ATTACK WAS UNDER WAY, PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS WILLING AS PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS WILLING AS PRESIDENT TO BRUSH BACK PUTIN, TELL HIM TO TO BRUSH BACK PUTIN, TELL HIM TO CUT OUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. CUT OUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION THOUGHT THE ADMINISTRATION THOUGHT THE BETTER WAY TO SHUT PUTIN UP AND BETTER WAY TO SHUT PUTIN UP AND HONESTLY TO MAKE THE AMERICAN HONESTLY TO MAKE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO WHAT PUBLIC LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO WHAT RUSSIA WAS DOING, MAKE THE RUSSIA WAS DOING, MAKE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC MORE RESILIENT AMERICAN PUBLIC MORE RESILIENT AGAINST THE TYPES OF ATTACKS AGAINST THE TYPES OF ATTACKS PUTIN WAS LAUNCHING, THAT PUTIN WAS LAUNCHING, THAT ACTUALLY TARGETED THE AMERICAN ACTUALLY TARGETED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PEOPLE, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT BEYOND PRESIDENT OBAMA DOING BEYOND PRESIDENT OBAMA DOING WHAT HE DID WAS THAT THERE WHAT HE DID WAS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSE, A BIPARTISAN, RESPONSE, A BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL, CLAP-BACK FROM THE BICAMERAL, CLAP-BACK FROM THE UNITED STATES THAT WOULD NOT UNITED STATES THAT WOULD NOT JUST BE FROM THE PRESIDENT, IT JUST BE FROM THE PRESIDENT, IT WOULD BE FROM NOT JUST THE WOULD BE FROM NOT JUST THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, NOT JUST U.S. EXECUTIVE BRANCH, NOT JUST U.S. INTELLIGENCE, RIGHT, IT WOULD BE INTELLIGENCE, RIGHT, IT WOULD BE THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT. THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD BE THE WHOLE EXECUTIVE IT WOULD BE THE WHOLE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. BRANCH. OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITY AND IT INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITY AND IT WOULD ALSO BE THE WHOLE HOUSE WOULD ALSO BE THE WHOLE HOUSE AND THE WHOLE SENATE, BOTH AND THE WHOLE SENATE, BOTH PARTIES UNANIMOUSLY WARNING PARTIES UNANIMOUSLY WARNING PUTIN, BACK OFF. PUTIN, BACK OFF. GET OUT OF OUR ELECTIONS OR YOU GET OUT OF OUR ELECTIONS OR YOU WILL FACE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. WILL FACE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FULLY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FULLY EXPECTED THEY COULD GET THAT EXPECTED THEY COULD GET THAT FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS WHEN THEY FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS WHEN THEY GAVE CONGRESS INFORMATION ABOUT GAVE CONGRESS INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT AT THAT POINT WAS AN WHAT AT THAT POINT WAS AN ONGOING RUSSIAN ATTACK ON OUR ONGOING RUSSIAN ATTACK ON OUR ELECTION. ELECTION. I MEAN, WHY -- WHY WOULDN’T THEY I MEAN, WHY -- WHY WOULDN’T THEY THINK THEY COULD GET THAT KIND THINK THEY COULD GET THAT KIND OF A PATRIOTIC REACTION? OF A PATRIOTIC REACTION? THIS WAS AN ATTACK ON OUR THIS WAS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY FROM ABROAD FROM A COUNTRY FROM ABROAD FROM A HOSTILE FOREIGN POWER. HOSTILE FOREIGN POWER. THAT IS THE SORT OF THING THAT THAT IS THE SORT OF THING THAT IF NOTHING ELSE, THAT’S SUPPOSED IF NOTHING ELSE, THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BRING US TOGETHER. TO BRING US TOGETHER. RIGHT? RIGHT? IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, THOUGH. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, THOUGH. FOR ONE VERY SPECIFIC REASON. FOR ONE VERY SPECIFIC REASON. FAMOUSLY, THAT REQUEST FROM FAMOUSLY, THAT REQUEST FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR A BIPARTISAN PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR A BIPARTISAN PUNCH-BACK AGAINST PUTIN WHEN HE PUNCH-BACK AGAINST PUTIN WHEN HE WAS ATTACKING THE 2016 CAMPAIGN, WAS ATTACKING THE 2016 CAMPAIGN, THAT REQUEST WAS BLOCKED BY ONE THAT REQUEST WAS BLOCKED BY ONE MAN. MAN. ONE REPUBLICAN. ONE REPUBLICAN. KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN SENATOR KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL. MITCH McCONNELL. THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE AND STILL TODAY. THE SENATE AND STILL TODAY. McCONNELL SAID HE WASN’T SURE IF McCONNELL SAID HE WASN’T SURE IF HE BELIEVED THE RUSSIANS WERE HE BELIEVED THE RUSSIANS WERE REALLY DOING WHAT THEY WERE REALLY DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING, AND BESIDES, BASICALLY DOING, AND BESIDES, BASICALLY IMPLIED WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL. IMPLIED WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL. SO THANKS TO MITCH McCONNELL, SO THANKS TO MITCH McCONNELL, BLOCKING WHAT WOULD HAVE BLOCKING WHAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN A WHOLE OF OTHERWISE BEEN A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSE AGAINST GOVERNMENT RESPONSE AGAINST RUSSIA DURING THE CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA DURING THE CAMPAIGN IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR ATTACK, THAT THE MIDDLE OF THEIR ATTACK, THAT CLAP-BACK FROM THE U.S. CLAP-BACK FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DIDN’T HAPPEN. GOVERNMENT DIDN’T HAPPEN. ALSO, THOSE BIPARTISAN BILLS I ALSO, THOSE BIPARTISAN BILLS I JUST MENTIONED, THE ONES THAT JUST MENTIONED, THE ONES THAT ARE UP RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD ARE UP RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD PROTECT THE 2020 ELECTION FROM PROTECT THE 2020 ELECTION FROM THE SAME KIND OF RUSSIAN ATTACK THE SAME KIND OF RUSSIAN ATTACK WE HAD IN 2016, THOSE BILLS DO WE HAD IN 2016, THOSE BILLS DO HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. THEY DO HAVE BIPARTISAN THEY DO HAVE BIPARTISAN SPONSORS. SPONSORS. BUT THEY, TOO, ARE BEING BLOCKED BUT THEY, TOO, ARE BEING BLOCKED BY ONE MAN IN WASHINGTON, ONE BY ONE MAN IN WASHINGTON, ONE REPUBLICAN, SENATOR MITCH MRK REPUBLICAN, SENATOR MITCH MRK McCONNELL WHO WILL NOT LET ANY McCONNELL WHO WILL NOT LET ANY OF THOSE BILLS COME UP RFOR A OF THOSE BILLS COME UP RFOR A VOTE THOUGH THEY HAVE BIPARTISAN VOTE THOUGH THEY HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. SUPPORT. ALSO, FRANKLY, THOSE SANCTIONS ALSO, FRANKLY, THOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA FOR WHAT THEY DID AGAINST RUSSIA FOR WHAT THEY DID IN THE ELECTION, THERE WAS A OLT IN THE ELECTION, THERE WAS A OLT OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT. OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT. IN RESPONSE TO THAT ATTACK. IN RESPONSE TO THAT ATTACK. ONCE AGAIN, IT’S BEEN ONE MAN IN ONCE AGAIN, IT’S BEEN ONE MAN IN WASHINGTON WHO HAS BLOCKED SOME WASHINGTON WHO HAS BLOCKED SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS. OF THOSE EFFORTS. OR, SHALL WE SAY, REASONS OF HIS OR, SHALL WE SAY, REASONS OF HIS OWN. OWN. WHEN RUSSIA ATTACKED US, IT WHEN RUSSIA ATTACKED US, IT WASN’T JUST RUSSIAN MILITARY WASN’T JUST RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. INTELLIGENCE. IT WAS ALSO THEIR SPY SERVICE. IT WAS ALSO THEIR SPY SERVICE. IT WAS ALSO KREMLIN-CONNECTED IT WAS ALSO KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCHS WHO SEEMED TO HAVE OLIGARCHS WHO SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN KIND OF DEPUTIZED BY THE BEEN KIND OF DEPUTIZED BY THE KREMLIN TO RUN DIFFERENT PARTS KREMLIN TO RUN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT COMPLEX OPERATION. OF THAT COMPLEX OPERATION. IT WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCHS WHO KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCHS WHO RAN -- WHO WERE RUNNING RAN -- WHO WERE RUNNING SEEMINGLY PRIVATE BUSINESSES WHO SEEMINGLY PRIVATE BUSINESSES WHO DURING THE CAMPAIGN TOOK IT UPON DURING THE CAMPAIGN TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO STOVEPIPE THEMSELVES TO STOVEPIPE RUSSIAN-MADE PROPAGANDA TO U.S. RUSSIAN-MADE PROPAGANDA TO U.S. VOTERS. VOTERS. IT WAS OLIGARCHS RUNNING IT WAS OLIGARCHS RUNNING OSTENSIBLY PRIVATE BUSINESSES OSTENSIBLY PRIVATE BUSINESSES WHO WERE CREATING FAKE AMERICAN WHO WERE CREATING FAKE AMERICAN POLITICAL GROUPS AND ORGANIZING POLITICAL GROUPS AND ORGANIZING PROVOKING ARTIFICIAL ONLINE PROVOKING ARTIFICIAL ONLINE FIGHTS AMONG AMERICAN VOTERS. FIGHTS AMONG AMERICAN VOTERS. THEY WERE EVEN ORGANIZING THEY WERE EVEN ORGANIZING REAL-WORLD U.S. PROTESTS IN REAL-WORLD U.S. PROTESTS IN AMERICAN STREETS TO TRY TO WIND AMERICAN STREETS TO TRY TO WIND UP AND SCREW WITH THE AMERICAN UP AND SCREW WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. PUBLIC AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ALL TO HELP TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN FOR ALL TO HELP TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY AS MUCH THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY AS MUCH AS THEY COULD WHILE DIVIDING AND AS THEY COULD WHILE DIVIDING AND WEAKENING THE AMERICAN POLLITY WEAKENING THE AMERICAN POLLITY AS MUCH AS THEY COULD. AS MUCH AS THEY COULD. ONE KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH ONE KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH IN PARTICULAR HAD A WHOLE BUNCH IN PARTICULAR HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF ODD AND STRANGE CONTACTS AND OF ODD AND STRANGE CONTACTS AND CONNECTIONS WITH THE HIGHEST CONNECTIONS WITH THE HIGHEST REACHES OF TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN. REACHES OF TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN. IN A STATE DEPARTMENT CABLE FROM IN A STATE DEPARTMENT CABLE FROM WAY BACK IN 2006, WHICH WAS WAY BACK IN 2006, WHICH WAS LEAKED BY WIKILEAKS YEARS AGO, LEAKED BY WIKILEAKS YEARS AGO, THIS OLIGARCH, A GUY NAMED OLEG THIS OLIGARCH, A GUY NAMED OLEG DERIPASKA DESCRIBED AMONG THE DERIPASKA DESCRIBED AMONG THE TWO OR THREE OLIGARCHS PUTIN TWO OR THREE OLIGARCHS PUTIN TURNS TO ON A REGULAR BASIS. TURNS TO ON A REGULAR BASIS. U.S. DIPLOMATS DESCRIBED U.S. DIPLOMATS DESCRIBED DERAPASKA’S FAVORABLE DERAPASKA’S FAVORABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN. PUTIN. THEY DESCRIBED HIM AS A MORE OR THEY DESCRIBED HIM AS A MORE OR LESS PERMANENT FIXTURE, FOR LESS PERMANENT FIXTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PUTIN’S TRIPS EXAMPLE, ON PUTIN’S TRIPS ABROAD. ABROAD. THE SAME YEAR AS THAT U.S. THE SAME YEAR AS THAT U.S. DIPLOMATIC CABLE ABOUT DIPLOMATIC CABLE ABOUT DERIPASKA, IN 2006, THE DERIPASKA, IN 2006, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS NTERED ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS NTERED STRANGE CONTRACT WITH AN STRANGE CONTRACT WITH AN AMERICAN, THE AMERICAN MAN WHO AMERICAN, THE AMERICAN MAN WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY BECOME DONALD WOULD ULTIMATELY BECOME DONALD TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN, PAUL TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN, PAUL MANAFORT. MANAFORT. ACCORDING TO A MEMO WRITTEN BY ACCORDING TO A MEMO WRITTEN BY MANAFORT PROPOSING THIS MANAFORT PROPOSING THIS ARRANGEMENT TO DERIPASKA IN ARRANGEMENT TO DERIPASKA IN 2005-2006, MANAFORT PROPOSED FOR 2005-2006, MANAFORT PROPOSED FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF $10 THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF $10 MILLION A YEAR, HE WOULD RUN A MILLION A YEAR, HE WOULD RUN A CAMPAIGN TO INFLUENCE POLITICS, CAMPAIGN TO INFLUENCE POLITICS, BUSINESS, AND NEWS COVERAGE IN BUSINESS, AND NEWS COVERAGE IN THE UNITED STATES TO BENEFIT THE THE UNITED STATES TO BENEFIT THE PUTIN GOVERNMENT. PUTIN GOVERNMENT. "WE ARE NOW OF THE BELIEF THAT "WE ARE NOW OF THE BELIEF THAT THIS MODEL CAN GREATLY BENEFIT THIS MODEL CAN GREATLY BENEFIT THE PUTIN GOVERNMENT IF ECHL THE PUTIN GOVERNMENT IF ECHL PLOY PLOY EMPLOYED AT THE CORRECT LEVELS EMPLOYED AT THE CORRECT LEVELS WITH THE APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT WITH THE APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS" AND IN MANAFORT’S TO SUCCESS" AND IN MANAFORT’S VIEW, THE APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT VIEW, THE APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT WAS REPORTEDLY $10 MILLION A WAS REPORTEDLY $10 MILLION A YEAR AS SPECIFYSPECIFIED. YEAR AS SPECIFYSPECIFIED. THE A.P. SAYS THEY SAW TRANSFERS THE A.P. SAYS THEY SAW TRANSFERS OF MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF OF MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PAUL MANAFORT IN DOLLARS TO PAUL MANAFORT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT CONTRACT, CONJUNCTION WITH THAT CONTRACT, STARTING THAT YEAR, 2006, AND STARTING THAT YEAR, 2006, AND ENDING, WE DON’T KNOW WHEN. ENDING, WE DON’T KNOW WHEN. OVER THE YEARS, OLEG DERIPASKA OVER THE YEARS, OLEG DERIPASKA AND PAUL MANAFORT WOULD HAVE A AND PAUL MANAFORT WOULD HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL AND LOT OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENTS TOGETHER. BUSINESS ENGAGEMENTS TOGETHER. MAN MAN MANAFORT, OF COURSE, NOW SITS IN MANAFORT, OF COURSE, NOW SITS IN FEDERAL PRISON. FEDERAL PRISON. HE MAY ULTIMATELY BE LOOKING AT HE MAY ULTIMATELY BE LOOKING AT A LONG STATE PRISON SENTENCE A LONG STATE PRISON SENTENCE THAT PICKS UP AFTER HIS PROGRAM THAT PICKS UP AFTER HIS PROGRAM SENTENCE. SENTENCE. AS SUCH, WE MAY NEVER FULLY KNOW AS SUCH, WE MAY NEVER FULLY KNOW THE EXTENT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON THE EXTENT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MANAFORT’S OVERSEAS CAREER IN IN MANAFORT’S OVERSEAS CAREER IN THOSE INTERVENING YEARS, THOSE INTERVENING YEARS, INCLUDING HIS INTERACTIONS WITH INCLUDING HIS INTERACTIONS WITH DERIPASKA. DERIPASKA. WE DO KNOW, THOUGH, BY THE TIME WE DO KNOW, THOUGH, BY THE TIME MANAFORT TOOK OVER AS TRUMP’S MANAFORT TOOK OVER AS TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN CHAIR FOR 2016, FOR CAMPAIGN CHAIR FOR 2016, FOR SOME REASON WE SAW THAT GIG ON SOME REASON WE SAW THAT GIG ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AS A GOOD THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AS A GOOD REASON AND GOOD OCCASION TO REUP REASON AND GOOD OCCASION TO REUP HIS LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP HIS LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT KREMLIN-CONNECTED WITH THAT KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH, WITH OLEG DERIPASKA. OLIGARCH, WITH OLEG DERIPASKA. ONE OF DERIPASKA’S CLOSE AIDES ONE OF DERIPASKA’S CLOSE AIDES TOLD "TIME" MAGAZINE LAST YEAR TOLD "TIME" MAGAZINE LAST YEAR WHEN MANAFORT BECAME TRUMP’S WHEN MANAFORT BECAME TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN CHAIR, QUOTE, HE OWED CAMPAIGN CHAIR, QUOTE, HE OWED US A LOT OF MONEY AND HE WAS US A LOT OF MONEY AND HE WAS OFFERING WAYS TO PAY IT BACK. OFFERING WAYS TO PAY IT BACK. WE KNOW FROM THE MUELLER WE KNOW FROM THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION THAT FOR SOME INVESTIGATION THAT FOR SOME REASON TRUMP CAMPAIGN CHAIR PAUL REASON TRUMP CAMPAIGN CHAIR PAUL MANAFORT OFFERED THIS MANAFORT OFFERED THIS RUSSIAN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH, OLEG RUSSIAN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH, OLEG DERIPASKA, HE OFFERED HIM DERIPASKA, HE OFFERED HIM PRIVATE BRIEFINGS ON THE TRUMP PRIVATE BRIEFINGS ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN DURING THE ELECTION. CAMPAIGN DURING THE ELECTION. UP TO AND INCLUDING THE STILL UP TO AND INCLUDING THE STILL UNEXPLAINED PLOT LINE FROM UNEXPLAINED PLOT LINE FROM MUELLER’S INVESTIGATION. MUELLER’S INVESTIGATION. IN WHICH MANAFORT IS KNOWN TO IN WHICH MANAFORT IS KNOWN TO HAVE SHIPPED DERIPASKA A WHOLE HAVE SHIPPED DERIPASKA A WHOLE BUNCH OF INTERNAL TRUMP CAMPAIGN BUNCH OF INTERNAL TRUMP CAMPAIGN POLLING DATA, NONPUBLIC, POLLING DATA, NONPUBLIC, PROPRIETARY INFORMATION ON THE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION ON THE CAMPAIGN’S PLANS AND STRATEGY, CAMPAIGN’S PLANS AND STRATEGY, PARTICULARLY IN KEY STATES IN PARTICULARLY IN KEY STATES IN THE INDUSTRIAL MIDWEST THAT THE INDUSTRIAL MIDWEST THAT TRUMP WOULD GO ON TO TRUMP WOULD GO ON TO UNEXPECTEDLY FLIP ON HIS WAY TO UNEXPECTEDLY FLIP ON HIS WAY TO AN ELECTION NIGHT VICTORY IN AN ELECTION NIGHT VICTORY IN 2016. 2016. WHY DID DERIPASKA WANT THAT KIND WHY DID DERIPASKA WANT THAT KIND OF GRANULAR INFORMATION? OF GRANULAR INFORMATION? MANAFORT IS KNOWN TO HAVE PASSED MANAFORT IS KNOWN TO HAVE PASSED THAT DATA ON TO DERIPASKA DURING THAT DATA ON TO DERIPASKA DURING THE 2016 CAMPAIGN THROUGH AN THE 2016 CAMPAIGN THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY WHO HAD,S, HIMSELF, INTERMEDIARY WHO HAD,S, HIMSELF, NOW BEEN CHARGED BY FEDERAL NOW BEEN CHARGED BY FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. PROSECUTORS. THE INTERNEED AREA MANMEDIARY IS THE INTERNEED AREA MANMEDIARY IS BE LINKED TO RUSSIAN BE LINKED TO RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE. INTELLIGENCE. SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT RUSSIA SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT RUSSIA DID, AND HOW RUSSIA MESSED WITH DID, AND HOW RUSSIA MESSED WITH OUR ELECTION, DERIPASKA IS THIS OUR ELECTION, DERIPASKA IS THIS KEY FIGURE WHO IS STILL A BIT OF KEY FIGURE WHO IS STILL A BIT OF A MYSTERY. A MYSTERY. HE DEFINITELY PLUGS INTO THE HE DEFINITELY PLUGS INTO THE MANAFORT PART OF THIS SCANDAL IN MANAFORT PART OF THIS SCANDAL IN A WAY THAT MUELLER’S REPORT A WAY THAT MUELLER’S REPORT ESSENTIALLY LEAVES AS AN OPEN ESSENTIALLY LEAVES AS AN OPEN QUESTION. QUESTION. THIS IS FROM MUELLER’S REPORT. THIS IS FROM MUELLER’S REPORT. "THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE "THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE COULD NOT RELIABLY DETERMINE COULD NOT RELIABLY DETERMINE MANAFORT’S PURPOSE IN SHARING MANAFORT’S PURPOSE IN SHARING INTERNAL POLLING DATA DURING THE INTERNAL POLLING DATA DURING THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD. CAMPAIGN PERIOD. MANAFORT --" SOMETHING, MANAFORT --" SOMETHING, SOMETHING REDACTED, "DID NOT SEE SOMETHING REDACTED, "DID NOT SEE A DOWNSIDE TO SHARING CAMPAIGN A DOWNSIDE TO SHARING CAMPAIGN INFORMATION AND TOLD RICK GATES INFORMATION AND TOLD RICK GATES HIS ROLE IN THE CAMPAIGN WOULD HIS ROLE IN THE CAMPAIGN WOULD BE GOOD FOR BUSINESS AND BE GOOD FOR BUSINESS AND POTENTIALLY A WAY TO BE MADE POTENTIALLY A WAY TO BE MADE WHOLE FOR THE WORK HE PREVIOUSLY WHOLE FOR THE WORK HE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED IN UKRAINE." COMPLETED IN UKRAINE." AS TO DERIPASKA, MANAFORT AS TO DERIPASKA, MANAFORT CLAIMED BY SHARING CAMPAIGN CLAIMED BY SHARING CAMPAIGN INFORMATION WITH HIM DERIPASKA INFORMATION WITH HIM DERIPASKA MIGHT SEE VALUE IN THEIR MIGHT SEE VALUE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND RESOLVE A RELATIONSHIP AND RESOLVE A DISAGREEMENT DISAGREEMENT DISAGREEMENT, A REFERENCE TO ONE DISAGREEMENT, A REFERENCE TO ONE OR MORE OUTSTANDING LAWSUITS. OR MORE OUTSTANDING LAWSUITS. REMEMBER DERIPASKA’S FRIENDS REMEMBER DERIPASKA’S FRIENDS SAYING MANAFORT OWED THEM A TON SAYING MANAFORT OWED THEM A TON OF MONEY. OF MONEY. SO DERIPASKA IS THIS INTRIGUING SO DERIPASKA IS THIS INTRIGUING FIGURE WHEN IT COMES TO RUSSIA’S FIGURE WHEN IT COMES TO RUSSIA’S ATTACK ON OUR ELECTION. ATTACK ON OUR ELECTION. DERIPASKA IS BELIEVED BY THE DERIPASKA IS BELIEVED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO NOT JUST BE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO NOT JUST BE HIGHLY CONNECTED TO THE KREMLIN HIGHLY CONNECTED TO THE KREMLIN AND TO PUTIN’S OFFICE IN AND TO PUTIN’S OFFICE IN PARTICULAR, HE’S BELIEVED BY THE PARTICULAR, HE’S BELIEVED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO HAVE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO HAVE ORGANIZED CRIME LINKS AS WELL. ORGANIZED CRIME LINKS AS WELL. AS SUCH, HE HAS LONG BEEN BARRED AS SUCH, HE HAS LONG BEEN BARRED FROM GETTING A VISA TO VISIT THE FROM GETTING A VISA TO VISIT THE UNITED STATES. UNITED STATES. BUT DERIPASKA IS DOING VERY WELL BUT DERIPASKA IS DOING VERY WELL IN RUSSIA. IN RUSSIA. HE’S ALSO THE HEAD OF A HUGE HE’S ALSO THE HEAD OF A HUGE RUSSIAN ALUMINUM CONGLOMERATE. RUSSIAN ALUMINUM CONGLOMERATE. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO SANCTION WHEN IT CAME TIME TO SANCTION DERIPASKA FOR HIS ROLE IN DERIPASKA FOR HIS ROLE IN RUSSIA’S ATTACK ON OUR 2016 RUSSIA’S ATTACK ON OUR 2016 ELECTION, IT MADE SENSE THOSE ELECTION, IT MADE SENSE THOSE SANCTIONS WOULDN’T JUST APPLY TO SANCTIONS WOULDN’T JUST APPLY TO HIM PERSONALLY, THEY’D ALSO HIM PERSONALLY, THEY’D ALSO APPLY TO HIS BUSINESS, RIGHT, TO APPLY TO HIS BUSINESS, RIGHT, TO HIS FIRM. HIS FIRM. SEEMS LIKE EXACTLY THE KIND OF SEEMS LIKE EXACTLY THE KIND OF WAY YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE WAY YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE SANCTIONS IF YOU REALLY WANTED SANCTIONS IF YOU REALLY WANTED THEM TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE THEM TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY YOU WERE TARGETING AND COUNTRY YOU WERE TARGETING AND THE PEOPLE YOU MOST WANTED TO THE PEOPLE YOU MOST WANTED TO PINCH. PINCH. BUT, AGAIN, IF YOU WERE GOING TO BUT, AGAIN, IF YOU WERE GOING TO REALLY GO AFTER THEM WHERE IT REALLY GO AFTER THEM WHERE IT HURT, YOU’D WANT TO TRUST THAT HURT, YOU’D WANT TO TRUST THAT YOUR OWN COUNTRY’S LEADERSHIP YOUR OWN COUNTRY’S LEADERSHIP WAS GOING TO STAND BEHIND IT? WAS GOING TO STAND BEHIND IT? YOU’D WANT THE LEADER OF THE YOU’D WANT THE LEADER OF THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE, U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE, I MEAN, FORGIVE ME, LIKE, SOME I MEAN, FORGIVE ME, LIKE, SOME STONES ON THE ISSUE. STONES ON THE ISSUE. RIGHT? RIGHT? I MEAN, IF YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE I MEAN, IF YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE THAT ROUTE. THAT ROUTE. THIS IS A GUY WHO’S VERY CLOSE THIS IS A GUY WHO’S VERY CLOSE TO PUTIN AND TO THE KREMLIN, TO PUTIN AND TO THE KREMLIN, LINKED TO SUPPOSEDLY TO LINKED TO SUPPOSEDLY TO ORGANIZED CRIME. ORGANIZED CRIME. IN TERMS OF HIS BUSINESS IN TERMS OF HIS BUSINESS INTERESTS, YOU KNOW WHAT, RUSSIA INTERESTS, YOU KNOW WHAT, RUSSIA HAS A TERRIBLE ECONOMY. HAS A TERRIBLE ECONOMY. RUSSIA DOES NOT MAKE THAT MUCH RUSSIA DOES NOT MAKE THAT MUCH STUFF AT ALL OTHER THAN OIL AND STUFF AT ALL OTHER THAN OIL AND GAS. GAS. IT’S TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON OIL IT’S TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON OIL AND GAS PRICES AND ITS LINKS AND GAS PRICES AND ITS LINKS WITH WESTERN OIL COMPANIES FOR WITH WESTERN OIL COMPANIES FOR ITS ECONOMIC FUTURE. ITS ECONOMIC FUTURE. BUT DERIPASKA DOES HAVE THIS BIG BUT DERIPASKA DOES HAVE THIS BIG ALUMINUM COMPANY AND THAT’S ALUMINUM COMPANY AND THAT’S SOMETHING. SOMETHING. HIS BIG ALUMINUM COMPANY IS HIS BIG ALUMINUM COMPANY IS ACTUALLY A SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS ACTUALLY A SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS INTEREST FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY INTEREST FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY OF RUSSIA. OF RUSSIA. SANCTIONING THAT COMPANY WOULD SANCTIONING THAT COMPANY WOULD TAKE A BIG BITE OUT OF THE TAKE A BIG BITE OUT OF THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY. RUSSIAN ECONOMY. THAT -- SANCTIONING THAT THAT -- SANCTIONING THAT COMPANY, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT COMPANY, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY HIT THEM WHERE IT ACTUALLY HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS. HURTS. THEREFORE, PERHAPS INEVITABLY, THEREFORE, PERHAPS INEVITABLY, WITH THIS LEADERSHIP THAT WE’VE WITH THIS LEADERSHIP THAT WE’VE GOT RIGHT NOW IN OUR GOVERNMENT, GOT RIGHT NOW IN OUR GOVERNMENT, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DECIDED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DECIDED TO GO WOBBLY ON THE SANCTIONS TO GO WOBBLY ON THE SANCTIONS AGAINST DERIPASKA AND HIS FIRM. AGAINST DERIPASKA AND HIS FIRM. THEY HAD SECOND THOUGHTS. THEY HAD SECOND THOUGHTS. THEY DECIDED JUST A FEW MONTHS THEY DECIDED JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER THEY’D ANNOUNCED THE AFTER THEY’D ANNOUNCED THE SANCTIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE SANCTIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DROP THE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DROP THE SANCTIONS ON DERIPASKA’S FIRM. SANCTIONS ON DERIPASKA’S FIRM. AND WHAT WAS INITIALLY A REALLY AND WHAT WAS INITIALLY A REALLY HEARTENING BIPARTISAN RESPONSE HEARTENING BIPARTISAN RESPONSE TO THAT WAS IN CONGRESS SORT OF TO THAT WAS IN CONGRESS SORT OF REVOLTED AGAINST THAT DECISION REVOLTED AGAINST THAT DECISION BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. ALL THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE ALL THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, 70% OF THE AND THE SENATE, 70% OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, A REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF REPUBLICANS IN WHOLE BUNCH OF REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE, THEY ALL GOT UP ON THE SENATE, THEY ALL GOT UP ON THEIR HIND LEGS AND TOLD THE THEIR HIND LEGS AND TOLD THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, NO, ARE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, NO, ARE YOU KIDDING? YOU KIDDING? YOU CAN’T DROP THE SANCTIONS ON YOU CAN’T DROP THE SANCTIONS ON THIS GUY. THIS GUY. YOU JUST PUT THEM ON. YOU JUST PUT THEM ON. OUR ELECTION WAS ACTUALLY ATTACK OUR ELECTION WAS ACTUALLY ATTACK BED BY RUSSIA. BED BY RUSSIA. THESE SANCTIONS WILL HIT THEM THESE SANCTIONS WILL HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS. WHERE IT HURTS. THESE SANCTIONS ARE THERE FOR A THESE SANCTIONS ARE THERE FOR A REASON. REASON. WHY WOULD YOU DROP THESE WHY WOULD YOU DROP THESE SANCTIONS? SANCTIONS? CONGRESS GOT MAD. CONGRESS GOT MAD. THERE WAS A HUGE RESPONSE THERE WAS A HUGE RESPONSE AGAINST WHAT THE TRUMP AGAINST WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID. ADMINISTRATION DID. AGAIN, A BIPARTISAN RESPONSE. AGAIN, A BIPARTISAN RESPONSE. WELL, THANKS TO THIS NEW WELL, THANKS TO THIS NEW REPORTING OUT TODAY FROM "TIME" REPORTING OUT TODAY FROM "TIME" MAGAZINE AND THE "WASHINGTON MAGAZINE AND THE "WASHINGTON POST," WE NOW MOE WHAT HAPPENKNO POST," WE NOW MOE WHAT HAPPENKNO NEXT. NEXT. IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, AN IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, AN EXECUTIVE FROM DERIPASKA’S FIRM, EXECUTIVE FROM DERIPASKA’S FIRM, FROM HIS BIG ALUMINUM COMPANY, FROM HIS BIG ALUMINUM COMPANY, SAT DOWN FOR DINNER WITH AN SAT DOWN FOR DINNER WITH AN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR. AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR. THEY MET AT A FANCY RESTAURANT THEY MET AT A FANCY RESTAURANT IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. THE AMERICAN GUY WAS SOMEBODY THE AMERICAN GUY WAS SOMEBODY WHO’D HAD A LITTLE BIT OF WHO’D HAD A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH THE EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH THE RUSSIANS AND RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS RUSSIANS AND RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS IN PARTICULAR. IN PARTICULAR. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SOLD A U.S. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SOLD A U.S. STEEL BUSINESS TO RUSSIAN STEEL BUSINESS TO RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS. OLIGARCHS. BUT IN JANUARY, HE WAS OVER IN BUT IN JANUARY, HE WAS OVER IN SWITZERLAND MEETING WITH A GUY SWITZERLAND MEETING WITH A GUY FROM OLEG DERIPASKA’S RUSSIAN FROM OLEG DERIPASKA’S RUSSIAN ALUMINUM COMPANY. ALUMINUM COMPANY. THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE, WAS AT THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE, WAS AT THAT MOMENT THAT RUSSIAN THAT MOMENT THAT RUSSIAN ALUMINUM COMPANY WAS UNDER U.S. ALUMINUM COMPANY WAS UNDER U.S. SANCTIONS. SANCTIONS. EVEN THOUGH THE TRUMP EVEN THOUGH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD DECIDED TO ADMINISTRATION HAD DECIDED TO DROP THOSE SANCTIONS, THEY WERE DROP THOSE SANCTIONS, THEY WERE UNDER U.S. SANCTIONS AT THAT UNDER U.S. SANCTIONS AT THAT TIME. TIME. IT WAS, THEREFORE, ILLEGAL FOR IT WAS, THEREFORE, ILLEGAL FOR ANY AMERICAN TO DO ANY BUSINESS ANY AMERICAN TO DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THEM WHATSOEVER. WITH THEM WHATSOEVER. AS FIRST REPORTED IN "TIME" AS FIRST REPORTED IN "TIME" MAGAZINE AND THE "WASHINGTON MAGAZINE AND THE "WASHINGTON POST" TODAY, WE NOW KNOW THAT POST" TODAY, WE NOW KNOW THAT THE DAY AFTER THAT DINNER IN THE DAY AFTER THAT DINNER IN SWITZERLAND IS WHEN MITCH SWITZERLAND IS WHEN MITCH McCONNELL KILLED THE BILL IN THE McCONNELL KILLED THE BILL IN THE SENATE THAT WOULD HAVE SENATE THAT WOULD HAVE MAINTAINED THE SANCTIONS ON OLEG MAINTAINED THE SANCTIONS ON OLEG DERI PARK S DERI PARK S DERIPASK ARNGS DERIPASK ARNGS DERIPASKA AND HIS FIRM. DERIPASKA AND HIS FIRM. BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR KEEPING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR KEEPING THOSE SANCTIONS IN PLACE. THOSE SANCTIONS IN PLACE. GOOD REASON TO KEEP THOSE GOOD REASON TO KEEP THOSE SANCTIONS IN PLACE GIVEN WHAT SANCTIONS IN PLACE GIVEN WHAT DERIPASKA DID, RIGHT? DERIPASKA DID, RIGHT? THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAID THEY WANTED TO DROP THOSE THEY WANTED TO DROP THOSE SANCTIONS, THERE WAS A SANCTIONS, THERE WAS A BIPARTISAN REVOLT IN CONGRESS. BIPARTISAN REVOLT IN CONGRESS. CONGRESS STOOD UP AND SAID, NO, CONGRESS STOOD UP AND SAID, NO, NO, NO, WE’RE GOT GOING TO LET NO, NO, WE’RE GOT GOING TO LET YOU DROP THOSE SANCTIONS, YOU YOU DROP THOSE SANCTIONS, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM, UNTIL MITCH HAVE TO KEEP THEM, UNTIL MITCH McCONNELL ZEPED EDSTEPPED IN AND McCONNELL ZEPED EDSTEPPED IN AND ALLOWED FOR HEM TO BE DROPPED. ALLOWED FOR HEM TO BE DROPPED. NOW WE KNOW WITHIN WEEKS THAT NOW WE KNOW WITHIN WEEKS THAT BUSINESSMAN FROM THAT BUSINESSMAN FROM THAT SWITZERLAND DINNER WOULD SWITZERLAND DINNER WOULD ANNOUNCE THAT OLEG DERIPASKA’S ANNOUNCE THAT OLEG DERIPASKA’S RUSSIAN ALUMINUM FIRM HAD RUSSIAN ALUMINUM FIRM HAD SUDDENLY DUG INTO THE COUCH SUDDENLY DUG INTO THE COUCH CUSHIONS AND FOUND $200 MILLION CUSHIONS AND FOUND $200 MILLION THAT THEY WERE NOW GOING TO THAT THEY WERE NOW GOING TO INVEST IN A BRAND-NEW ALUMINUM INVEST IN A BRAND-NEW ALUMINUM PLANT IN MITCH McCONNELL’S PLANT IN MITCH McCONNELL’S STATE. STATE. MITCH McCONNELL’S HOME STATE OF MITCH McCONNELL’S HOME STATE OF KENTUCKY. KENTUCKY. THE BIGGEST ALUMINUM PLANT OF THE BIGGEST ALUMINUM PLANT OF ITS KIND BUILT IN THIS COUNTRY ITS KIND BUILT IN THIS COUNTRY IN NEARLY 40 YEARS. IN NEARLY 40 YEARS. IT NEVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD IT NEVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE SANCTIONS STILL BEEN IN THE SANCTIONS STILL BEEN IN PLACE. PLACE. MITCH McCONNELL IS THE ONE WHO MITCH McCONNELL IS THE ONE WHO MADE SURE THOSE SANCTIONS WERE MADE SURE THOSE SANCTIONS WERE DROPPED AND THEN DERIPASKA’S DROPPED AND THEN DERIPASKA’S FIRM BASICALLY IMMEDIATELY WROTE FIRM BASICALLY IMMEDIATELY WROTE THAT $200 MILLION CHECK. THAT $200 MILLION CHECK. AND SO, NO, I AM NOT HAPPY THAT AND SO, NO, I AM NOT HAPPY THAT I SPENT MY VACATION ON CRUTCHES I SPENT MY VACATION ON CRUTCHES AND ON THE COUCH INSTEAD OF ON AND ON THE COUCH INSTEAD OF ON THE BEACH, BUT I AM GLAD THAT BY THE BEACH, BUT I AM GLAD THAT BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT I WAS VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT I WAS LAID UP, I HAD THE CHANCE TO LAID UP, I HAD THE CHANCE TO READ THAT NEW PENTAGON WHITE READ THAT NEW PENTAGON WHITE PAPER ON RUSSIA’S STRATEGY AND PAPER ON RUSSIA’S STRATEGY AND HOW THEY OPERATE IN THE GRAY HOW THEY OPERATE IN THE GRAY ZONE BECAUSE IT IS, I THINK, ZONE BECAUSE IT IS, I THINK, HELPFUL TO SEE THIS NOT JUST HELPFUL TO SEE THIS NOT JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, OH, MY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, OH, MY GOD, WHAT IS MITCH McCONNELL GOD, WHAT IS MITCH McCONNELL DOING, BUT OH, MY GOD, WHAT HAS DOING, BUT OH, MY GOD, WHAT HAS MITCH McCONNELL DONE? MITCH McCONNELL DONE? WHAT IS RUSSIA TRYING TO DO HERE WHAT IS RUSSIA TRYING TO DO HERE THAT MITCH McCONNELL HAS JUST THAT MITCH McCONNELL HAS JUST ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? HERE’S THAT QUOTE AGAIN FROM THE HERE’S THAT QUOTE AGAIN FROM THE SECTION OF THE PENTAGON REPORT SECTION OF THE PENTAGON REPORT THAT’S CALLED "MOSCOW’S GRAY THAT’S CALLED "MOSCOW’S GRAY ZONE TOOL KIT." ZONE TOOL KIT." "HYBRID TACTICS ARE MOST "HYBRID TACTICS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET ENTITY EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET ENTITY IS DEEPLY POLARIZED OR LACKS THE IS DEEPLY POLARIZED OR LACKS THE CAPACITY TO RESIST AND RESPOND CAPACITY TO RESIST AND RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN EFFECTIVELY TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. AGGRESSION. CONVERSELY, COUNTRIES THAT ARE CONVERSELY, COUNTRIES THAT ARE RESILIENT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO RESILIENT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE THEIR POPULACE OR APPLY DIVIDE THEIR POPULACE OR APPLY ECONOMIC COERCION OR YIELD PROXY ECONOMIC COERCION OR YIELD PROXY FORCES CAN BETTER HANDLE FORCES CAN BETTER HANDLE SUBCONVENTIONAL THREATS FROM SUBCONVENTIONAL THREATS FROM RUSSIA." RUSSIA." COUNTRIES THAT ARE RESILIENT COUNTRIES THAT ARE RESILIENT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO APPLY AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO APPLY ECONOMIC COERCION WILL SURVIVE ECONOMIC COERCION WILL SURVIVE THESE KINDS OF ATTACKS FROM THESE KINDS OF ATTACKS FROM RUSSIA BETTER THAN COUNTRIES RUSSIA BETTER THAN COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT RESILIENT IN THAT THAT ARE NOT RESILIENT IN THAT WAY. WAY. WELL, IN WHAT WAY CAN RUSSIA WELL, IN WHAT WAY CAN RUSSIA WITH ITS CRAPPY ECONOMY AND ITS WITH ITS CRAPPY ECONOMY AND ITS ZERO ECONOMIC FUTURE, IN WHAT ZERO ECONOMIC FUTURE, IN WHAT WAY CAN RUSSIA EVER ECONOMICALLY WAY CAN RUSSIA EVER ECONOMICALLY COERCE US? COERCE US? YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT IN TERMS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT IN TERMS OF, LIKE, COUNTRIES ON THEIR OF, LIKE, COUNTRIES ON THEIR BORDER, FORMER SOVIET UNION, BORDER, FORMER SOVIET UNION, THAT SORT OF SPHERE OF INFLUENCE THAT SORT OF SPHERE OF INFLUENCE THEY WANT TO EXERT, COUNTRIES THEY WANT TO EXERT, COUNTRIES WHERE THEY CAN USE OIL AND GAS WHERE THEY CAN USE OIL AND GAS TO LEVERAGE THE ECONOMIES OF TO LEVERAGE THE ECONOMIES OF THOSE COUNTRIES IN WAYS THAT THOSE COUNTRIES IN WAYS THAT SERVE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, SERVE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, OKAY, RIGHT, GOT IT. OKAY, RIGHT, GOT IT. WHAT CAN RUSSIA DO TO US TO WHAT CAN RUSSIA DO TO US TO ECONOMICALLY COERCE US? ECONOMICALLY COERCE US? WELL, SKIP TO THE END HERE. WELL, SKIP TO THE END HERE. SKIP TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF SKIP TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS NEW PENTAGON REPORT. THIS NEW PENTAGON REPORT. "HYBRID TACTICS ARE MOST "HYBRID TACTICS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET STATE EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TARGET STATE HAS LOST TO THE WILL OR CAPACITY HAS LOST TO THE WILL OR CAPACITY TO RESIST. TO RESIST. THE MOST PREVALENT INDICATORS OR THE MOST PREVALENT INDICATORS OR SIGNPOSTS THAT AN ENTITY IS SIGNPOSTS THAT AN ENTITY IS VULNERABLE TO RUSSIAN HYBRID VULNERABLE TO RUSSIAN HYBRID ACTIONS INCLUDE POLITICAL AND ACTIONS INCLUDE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL TURMOIL, WEAK SECURITY SOCIAL TURMOIL, WEAK SECURITY STRUCTURES, AND LARGE RUSSIAN STRUCTURES, AND LARGE RUSSIAN INVESTMENTS IN ITS KEY INVESTMENTS IN ITS KEY CAPABILITIES." CAPABILITIES." THE PENTAGON IS TELLING US, IN THE PENTAGON IS TELLING US, IN THIS REPORT FROM JUST A FEW THIS REPORT FROM JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, THAT ONE OF THE SIGNS WEEKS AGO, THAT ONE OF THE SIGNS THAT RUSSIA IS MAKEING PROGRESS THAT RUSSIA IS MAKEING PROGRESS IN ITS EFFORTS TO UNDO YOUR IN ITS EFFORTS TO UNDO YOUR COUNTRY IS WHEN YOU START TO COUNTRY IS WHEN YOU START TO SEE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST WEAK SEE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST WEAK SECURITY STRUCTURES LIKE, SAY, SECURITY STRUCTURES LIKE, SAY, NOT TAKING ANY ACTIONS TO HARDEN NOT TAKING ANY ACTIONS TO HARDEN YOUR ELECTIONS AHEAD OF A YOUR ELECTIONS AHEAD OF A PLANNED RUSSIAN ATTACK ON YOUR PLANNED RUSSIAN ATTACK ON YOUR NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, OR, NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, OR, YOU KNOW, INCREASED POLITICAL YOU KNOW, INCREASED POLITICAL AND SOCIAL TURMOIL NOT LIKE WE AND SOCIAL TURMOIL NOT LIKE WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN THIS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN THIS COUNTRY, HELLO, DAY THAT ENDS IN COUNTRY, HELLO, DAY THAT ENDS IN "Y." "Y." BUT IN ADDITION TO THOSE THINGS, BUT IN ADDITION TO THOSE THINGS, THEY’RE SAYING THE OTHER BIG THEY’RE SAYING THE OTHER BIG THING TO WATCH FOR HERE, THE THING TO WATCH FOR HERE, THE OTHER BIG SIGNPOST THAT RUSSIA OTHER BIG SIGNPOST THAT RUSSIA IS BASICALLY SOFTENING YOU UP SO IS BASICALLY SOFTENING YOU UP SO THEY CAN LEVERAGE WHAT THEY WANT THEY CAN LEVERAGE WHAT THEY WANT OUT OF YOU, IS LARGE RUSSIAN OUT OF YOU, IS LARGE RUSSIAN INVESTMENTS IN KEY CAPABILITIES INVESTMENTS IN KEY CAPABILITIES IN YOUR COUNTRY. IN YOUR COUNTRY. BY WHICH THEY MEAN SPECIFICALLY BY WHICH THEY MEAN SPECIFICALLY LARGE ECONOMIC RUSSIAN LARGE ECONOMIC RUSSIAN INVESTMENTS IN YOUR COUNTRY. INVESTMENTS IN YOUR COUNTRY. THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE. THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE. QUOTING FROM "TIME" MAGAZINE’S QUOTING FROM "TIME" MAGAZINE’S NEW REPORTING ON WHAT MITCH NEW REPORTING ON WHAT MITCH McCONNELL DID HERE, "CRITICS OF McCONNELL DID HERE, "CRITICS OF THE DEAL" -- THE RUSAL ALUMINUM THE DEAL" -- THE RUSAL ALUMINUM DEAL IN CRITICS OF THE DEAL IN CRITICS OF THE DEAL SAY IT GIVES MOSCOW DEAL SAY IT GIVES MOSCOW POLITICAL INFLUENCE THAT COULD POLITICAL INFLUENCE THAT COULD UNDERMINE NATIONAL SECURITY. UNDERMINE NATIONAL SECURITY. POINTING TO MOSCOW’S USE OF POINTING TO MOSCOW’S USE OF ECONOMIC LEVERAGE TO SWAY ECONOMIC LEVERAGE TO SWAY EUROPEAN POLITICS, THEY WARN EUROPEAN POLITICS, THEY WARN THIS KENTUCKY DEAL IS A THIS KENTUCKY DEAL IS A STOCKINGHORSE FOR A NEW KIND OF STOCKINGHORSE FOR A NEW KIND OF RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN AMERICA. RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN AMERICA. VETERAN DIPLOMAT DANIEL FREED VETERAN DIPLOMAT DANIEL FREED WHO SHAPED U.S. POLICY ON WHO SHAPED U.S. POLICY ON EASTERN EUROPE AT THE STATE EASTERN EUROPE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT FROM THE 1980s UNTIL DEPARTMENT FROM THE 1980s UNTIL 2017 TELLS "TIME," "THAT’S JUST 2017 TELLS "TIME," "THAT’S JUST WHAT THE RUSSIANS DO. WHAT THE RUSSIANS DO. THEY INSERT THEMSELVES INTO A THEY INSERT THEMSELVES INTO A FOREIGN ECONOMY AND THEN START FOREIGN ECONOMY AND THEN START TO INFLUENCE ITS POLITICS FROM TO INFLUENCE ITS POLITICS FROM THE INSIDE. THE INSIDE. HEATHER CONLEY, SENIOR STATE HEATHER CONLEY, SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL UNDER GEORGE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH, DESCRIBES WHAT RUSAL IS W. BUSH, DESCRIBES WHAT RUSAL IS DOING HERE AS, QUOTE, A STRATEGY DOING HERE AS, QUOTE, A STRATEGY FROM WITHIN. FROM WITHIN. QUOTE, YOU CANNOT GO AGAINST QUOTE, YOU CANNOT GO AGAINST THEM IN A POLICY DECISION EVEN THEM IN A POLICY DECISION EVEN THOUGH IT’S IN OUR NATIONAL THOUGH IT’S IN OUR NATIONAL INTEREST. INTEREST. WHEN THEY HAVE INFILTRATED YOU WHEN THEY HAVE INFILTRATED YOU ECONOMICALLY." ECONOMICALLY." ONE KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH, ONE KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH, FIGHTING EXTRADITION TO THE FIGHTING EXTRADITION TO THE UNITED STATES, TOLD "TIME" IN AN UNITED STATES, TOLD "TIME" IN AN INTERVIEW A COUPLE YEARS AGO HOW INTERVIEW A COUPLE YEARS AGO HOW THIS SORT OF STRATEGY WORKS FROM THIS SORT OF STRATEGY WORKS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PERSPECTIVE OF KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCHS. KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCHS. HE TOLD THEM, "WHAT IS A FACTORY HE TOLD THEM, "WHAT IS A FACTORY IN A ONE-FACTORY TOWN? IN A ONE-FACTORY TOWN? IT’S WHAT ALL LIFE REVOLVES IT’S WHAT ALL LIFE REVOLVES AROUND. AROUND. WE DON’T JUST PAY WAGES, WE PRO WE DON’T JUST PAY WAGES, WE PRO PROVIDE THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET SO PROVIDE THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET SO BELIEVE US." BELIEVE US." HE EXPLAINED WHEN HE AND HIS HE EXPLAINED WHEN HE AND HIS FACTORIES PUT SUPPORT BEHIND A FACTORIES PUT SUPPORT BEHIND A POLITICAL CAUSE OR POLITICAL POLITICAL CAUSE OR POLITICAL CANDIDATE, "THAT INFLUENCES CANDIDATE, "THAT INFLUENCES PEOPLE. PEOPLE. THAT’S WHAT ENSURES ELECTORAL THAT’S WHAT ENSURES ELECTORAL SUPPORT." SUPPORT." SO THAT’S WHY WE MAKE SURE THAT SO THAT’S WHY WE MAKE SURE THAT WE RUN THE FACTORIES. WE RUN THE FACTORIES. ESPECIALLY IN ONEONE-FACTORY TOW ESPECIALLY IN ONEONE-FACTORY TOW THE SHORT STORY HERE ABOUT MITCH THE SHORT STORY HERE ABOUT MITCH McCONNELL IS THAT HE, MORE THAN McCONNELL IS THAT HE, MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN WASHINGTON, HAS ANYBODY ELSE IN WASHINGTON, HAS BLOCKED U.S. EFFORTS TO BLOCKED U.S. EFFORTS TO CONSTRAIN OR RESPOND TO RUSSIA’S CONSTRAIN OR RESPOND TO RUSSIA’S RECENT ATTACKS. RECENT ATTACKS. THAT’S WHY THEY’RE CALLING HIM THAT’S WHY THEY’RE CALLING HIM MOSCOW MITCH NOW. MOSCOW MITCH NOW. RIGHT? RIGHT? BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, HIS STATE, AN ECONOMICALLY HIS STATE, AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PART OF HIS STATE, DISADVANTAGED PART OF HIS STATE, GOT A $200 MILLION INVESTMENT GOT A $200 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM A KREMLIN-CONNECTED FROM A KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER OLIGARCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER McCONNELL PERSONALLY STEPPED IN McCONNELL PERSONALLY STEPPED IN TO MAKE SURE SANCTIONS ON THAT TO MAKE SURE SANCTIONS ON THAT OLIGARCH WERE DROPPED, DESPITE OLIGARCH WERE DROPPED, DESPITE HIS ROLE IN WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR HIS ROLE IN WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR ELECTION IN 2016 AND DESPITE ELECTION IN 2016 AND DESPITE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT EVEN FROM HIS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT EVEN FROM HIS OWN PARTY FOR THOSE SANCTIONS. OWN PARTY FOR THOSE SANCTIONS. BUT DON’T JUST LOOK BACK AT BUT DON’T JUST LOOK BACK AT THIS. THIS. LOOK FORWARD. LOOK FORWARD. RIGHT? RIGHT? I MEAN, THE FBI SAYS RUSSIA’S I MEAN, THE FBI SAYS RUSSIA’S GOING TO DO TO OUR ELECTION IN GOING TO DO TO OUR ELECTION IN 2020 WHAT THEY DID TO IT IN 2020 WHAT THEY DID TO IT IN 2016. 2016. NO REASON TO EXPECT 2020 IS NO REASON TO EXPECT 2020 IS GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT. GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT. IF OLEG DOLIPASKA IS ONE OF THE IF OLEG DOLIPASKA IS ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE OLIGARCHS PUTIN TWO OR THREE OLIGARCHS PUTIN LOOKS TO GET HIS WORK DONE LOOKS TO GET HIS WORK DONE AROUND THE WORLD, GIVEN WHAT WE AROUND THE WORLD, GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW HE DID IN 2016, SHOULD WE KNOW HE DID IN 2016, SHOULD WE EXPECT DERIPASKA IS GOING TO BE EXPECT DERIPASKA IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN RUSSIA’S 2020 INVOLVED IN RUSSIA’S 2020 OPERATIONS AS WELL? OPERATIONS AS WELL? YOU HAVE TO SAY THE ODDS OF THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY THE ODDS OF THAT ARE BETTER NOW THAN THEY WERE ARE BETTER NOW THAN THEY WERE BEFORE MITCH McCONNELL SOLD OFF BEFORE MITCH McCONNELL SOLD OFF THIS CORNER OF HIS STATE IN HIS THIS CORNER OF HIS STATE IN HIS VOTE. VOTE. I MEAN, AFTER ALL, BEFORE I MEAN, AFTER ALL, BEFORE McCONNELL DID WHAT HE DID, OLEG McCONNELL DID WHAT HE DID, OLEG DERIPASKA MIGHT HAVE FELT DERIPASKA MIGHT HAVE FELT WORRIED ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN WORRIED ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN ANY RUSSIAN ATTACK ON US IN ANY RUSSIAN ATTACK ON US IN 2020, RIGHT? 2020, RIGHT? HE MIGHT HAVE WORRIED ABOUT HE MIGHT HAVE WORRIED ABOUT THOSE CRIPPLING SANCTIONS THAT THOSE CRIPPLING SANCTIONS THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PUT ON HIM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PUT ON HIM AT LEAST FOR A WHILE AFTER 2016. AT LEAST FOR A WHILE AFTER 2016. I MEAN, McCONNELL MADE SURE I MEAN, McCONNELL MADE SURE THOSE WERE GONE, BUT MAYBE HE’D THOSE WERE GONE, BUT MAYBE HE’D WORRY IF HE DID MORE IN 2020, HE WORRY IF HE DID MORE IN 2020, HE WOULD GET THOSE SANCTIONS BACK WOULD GET THOSE SANCTIONS BACK OR HE’D BE FURTHER SANCTIONED IN OR HE’D BE FURTHER SANCTIONED IN HIS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. HIS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. HE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THAT BEFORE MITCH McCONNELL DID THAT BEFORE MITCH McCONNELL DID WHAT HE DID. WHAT HE DID. BUT NOW, OLEG DERIPASKA’S BUT NOW, OLEG DERIPASKA’S BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, THE HEALTH BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, THE HEALTH OF HIS BUSINESS EMPIRE, THAT’S OF HIS BUSINESS EMPIRE, THAT’S PART AND PARCEL OF THE PART AND PARCEL OF THE HARD-SCRABBLE ECONOMY IN ONE OF HARD-SCRABBLE ECONOMY IN ONE OF KENTUCKY’S NEEDIEST ECONOMIES. KENTUCKY’S NEEDIEST ECONOMIES. THIS IS A PLANT THAT’S OVER A THIS IS A PLANT THAT’S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS. BILLION DOLLARS. 40% OWNED BY THE COMPANY OF THIS 40% OWNED BY THE COMPANY OF THIS KREMLIN-CONNECT BED OLIGARCH. KREMLIN-CONNECT BED OLIGARCH. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLG TO YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLG TO SANCTION HIM NO MATTER WHAT HE SANCTION HIM NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES TO OUR 2020 ELECTION OR DOES TO OUR 2020 ELECTION OR WHATEVER ELSE HE DOES AT ALL. WHATEVER ELSE HE DOES AT ALL. IT WOULD STRANGLE KENTUCKY IN IT WOULD STRANGLE KENTUCKY IN THE PROCESS. THE PROCESS. THERE WOULD BE HUNDRED, IF NOT THERE WOULD BE HUNDRED, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN JOBS THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN JOBS RIDING ON ANYTHING YOU DID TO RIDING ON ANYTHING YOU DID TO THAT RUSSIAN GUY’S COMPANY OR, THAT RUSSIAN GUY’S COMPANY OR, FRANKLY, ANYTHING YOU DID TO FRANKLY, ANYTHING YOU DID TO BOTHER HIM. BOTHER HIM. HE NOW HOLDS ALL OF THOSE HE NOW HOLDS ALL OF THOSE AMERICAN JOBS IN HIS HAND. AMERICAN JOBS IN HIS HAND. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DOES THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DOES ANYTHING TO BOTHER HIM, HE CAN ANYTHING TO BOTHER HIM, HE CAN TAKE THEM AWAY AT WILL. TAKE THEM AWAY AT WILL. YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO HIS YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO HIS COMPANY, NOT WITHOUT HIM COMPANY, NOT WITHOUT HIM EXERTING THAT LEVERAGE OVER EXERTING THAT LEVERAGE OVER KENTUCKY IN RESPONSE. KENTUCKY IN RESPONSE. AND THAT DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN AND THAT DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. DONE. AS THE "WASHINGTON POST" AS THE "WASHINGTON POST" REPORTS, AS DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN REPORTS, AS DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN CLAMBORING TO REVIEW THAT DEAL CLAMBORING TO REVIEW THAT DEAL GIVEN THE IMPLICATIONS RUSAL IS GIVEN THE IMPLICATIONS RUSAL IS THREATENING IF THEY COME UNDER THREATENING IF THEY COME UNDER TOO MUCH SCRUTINY FROM THE U.S. TOO MUCH SCRUTINY FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, THEY MIGHT YANK THE GOVERNMENT, THEY MIGHT YANK THE FINANCING FROM THE PLANT RIGHT FINANCING FROM THE PLANT RIGHT NOW, MIGHT MAKE SURE THAT PLANT NOW, MIGHT MAKE SURE THAT PLANT NEVER EVEN OPENS. NEVER EVEN OPENS. GOING TO PUT ALL THE AMERICAN GOING TO PUT ALL THE AMERICAN JOBS, HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS JOBS, HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN JOBS AT RISK JUST SO OF AMERICAN JOBS AT RISK JUST SO YOU CAN REVIEW OLEG’S DEAL? YOU CAN REVIEW OLEG’S DEAL? NO, OLEG THINKS THAT’S A NO, OLEG THINKS THAT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA. TERRIBLE IDEA. HE SAYS YOU SHOULDN’T DO THAT. HE SAYS YOU SHOULDN’T DO THAT. I MEAN, IT GIVES THEM SS THIS I MEAN, IT GIVES THEM SS THIS KREMLIN-CONNECTED FIRM AND THIS KREMLIN-CONNECTED FIRM AND THIS KREMLIN KREMLIN KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH THAT KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH THAT KIND OF LEVERAGE IN OUR COUNTRY KIND OF LEVERAGE IN OUR COUNTRY ALREADY. ALREADY. AND IN THE WAKE OF WHAT MITCH AND IN THE WAKE OF WHAT MITCH McCONNELL DID FOR THEM, THIS McCONNELL DID FOR THEM, THIS SAME COMPANY RUN BY THIS SAME COMPANY RUN BY THIS KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH WHO KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH WHO USED MITCH McCONNELL TO GET HIS USED MITCH McCONNELL TO GET HIS NOSE UNDER THE TENT AND TO NOSE UNDER THE TENT AND TO RESCUE HIMSELF FROM PUNISHMENT RESCUE HIMSELF FROM PUNISHMENT FOR THE U.S. ELECTION ATTACK AND FOR THE U.S. ELECTION ATTACK AND TO INSULATE HIMSELF FROM ANY TO INSULATE HIMSELF FROM ANY THREAT OF FUTURE SANCTIONS THREAT OF FUTURE SANCTIONS AGAINST HIM FOR ANYTHING ELSE HE AGAINST HIM FOR ANYTHING ELSE HE MIGHT DO IN THE FUTURE, THAT MIGHT DO IN THE FUTURE, THAT SAME FIRM OWNED BY THAT SAME SAME FIRM OWNED BY THAT SAME KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH IN KREMLIN-CONNECTED OLIGARCH IN THE WAKE OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE THE WAKE OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN KENTUCKY, THIS SAME GUY WHO IN KENTUCKY, THIS SAME GUY WHO SIGNED PAUL MANAFORT UP TO A $10 SIGNED PAUL MANAFORT UP TO A $10 MILLION A YEAR CONTRACT TO HELP MILLION A YEAR CONTRACT TO HELP THE PUTIN GOVERNMENT AROUND THE THE PUTIN GOVERNMENT AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING IN THE UNITED WORLD INCLUDING IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT SAME COMPANY WHERE STATES, THAT SAME COMPANY WHERE THEIR LEADER INEXPLICABLY THEIR LEADER INEXPLICABLY GETTING TRUMP CAMPAIGN DATA GETTING TRUMP CAMPAIGN DATA DURING THE CAMPAIGN, THAT SAME DURING THE CAMPAIGN, THAT SAME COMPANY, DERIPASKA’S COMPANY, COMPANY, DERIPASKA’S COMPANY, HAS NOW WRITTEN TO GOVERNORS IN HAS NOW WRITTEN TO GOVERNORS IN EIGHT OTHER U.S. STATES OFFERING EIGHT OTHER U.S. STATES OFFERING THAT THEY’D LIKE TO BUILD AN THAT THEY’D LIKE TO BUILD AN ALUMINUM PLANT IN ALL THOSE ALUMINUM PLANT IN ALL THOSE PLACES, TOO. PLACES, TOO. AS SOON AS THEY’RE DONE IN AS SOON AS THEY’RE DONE IN KENTUCKY. KENTUCKY. I MEAN, WHY NOT? I MEAN, WHY NOT? WORKED WITH MITCH McCONNELL. WORKED WITH MITCH McCONNELL. WORKED WITH THE REPUBLICAN WHO WORKED WITH THE REPUBLICAN WHO CONTROLS THE UNITED STATES CONTROLS THE UNITED STATES SENATE. SENATE. WHY NOT DO IT ALL OVER THIS WHY NOT DO IT ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY? COUNTRY? IMAGINE WHAT ELSE THEY COULD GET IMAGINE WHAT ELSE THEY COULD GET THEIR LEVERAGE ON.
Check out those Russian investments in Kentucky.
So depressing
Don't you mean #moscowmitch McConnell?
Russia is actively working to elect Republicans or ensure they stay elected, what possible incentive does Mitch have to ever get in the way of that?