House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) said that Russian propaganda is being used by Republicans on the House floor.
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Transcript via CNN’s State Of The Union:
TAPPER: Let’s turn to Ukraine, an issue that’s important to you and your fellow Republican Chairman Michael McCaul, who runs the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Congressman McCaul made a comment this week about what he says sounds like Russian propaganda from some conservative media and why it’s so difficult to explain to Republican voters why supporting Ukraine is important. He told Julia Ioffe — quote — “I think Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”
He singled out prime-time shows on conservative channels. Do you agree with him? And how big is this problem?
TURNER: Oh, it is absolutely true.
We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor.
I mean, there are members of Congress today who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which, of course, it is not, Vladimir Putin having made it very clear, both publicly and to his own population, that his view is that this is a conflict of a much broader claim of Russia to Eastern Europe, including claiming all of Ukraine territory as Russia’s.
To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian-versus- democracy battle, which is what it is. President Xi of China, Vladimir Putin himself have identified it as such. We need to stand up for democracy. We need to make certain that we know that authoritarian regimes never stop when they start an aggression.
Ukraine needs our help and assistance now, and this is a very critical time for the U.S. Congress to step up and provide that aid.
Video:
Republican House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (OH) “We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor.” pic.twitter.com/XrHVlKZ6rC
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 7, 2024
Rep. Turner has been tirelessly pushing Speaker Mike Johnson to put a Ukraine aid bill on the House floor. Turner went on to say in the CNN interview that he doesn’t think Johnson is in any danger from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s motion to vacate, because Hakeem Jeffries and House Democrats have already said that they won’t join a motion to vacate as long as Johnson passes a Ukraine aid bill.
Johnson has been trying to figure out ways to put window dressing on the Ukraine aid bill, but it increasingly looks like he is going to dare Greene to try to fire him by passing a Ukraine aid bill.
House Republicans use Russians propaganda on a nearly daily basis. Russian propaganda is the centerpiece of Oversight Committee Chair James Comer’s Biden impeachment investigation.
Republican like Mike Turner are sounding the alarm that their party has been compromised by Russian propaganda, which is why it is up to the American people to reject Putin’s party.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
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