EXCLUSIVE Dems Demand Rex Tillerson Explain Why He's Not Spending Money to Stop Russian Meddling
Source: The Daily Beast
EXCLUSIVE Democrats Demand Rex Tillerson Explain Why Hes Not Spending Money to Stop Russian Meddling
$120 million was given to State to counter election meddling. Not a dime has been spent. Now, lawmakers want answers.
ANDREW DESIDERIO
03.08.18 1:36 PM ET
Congressional Democrats are demanding answers from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over the failure of the State Department to spend money allocated for countering Russian election meddling.
This is the latest example of the Trump administration both ignoring the will of Congress and letting Russia off the hook for its attack on American democracy, Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote in a letter to Tillerson that was obtained by The Daily Beast.
The letter marks an escalation against the Trump administration from lawmakers who have viewed its Russia policy as lackluster, if not feckless. And it comes on the heels of a Sunday New York Times report showing that the State Department had not spent a dime of the $120 million Congress appropriated for the purpose of countering foreign election-meddling and anti-democratic propaganda efforts$60 million per year for fiscal years 2017 and 2018. The Pentagon transferred just $40 million of that funding to the State Departments Global Engagement Center this week.
It remains unclear if or when any funding will be put to use. This baffling inaction has failed to bolster America and our allies at a critical moment, lawmakers said in their letter, which was signed by all committee Democrats except for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). Gabbards office did not immediately return request for comment.
Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-demand-rex-tillerson-explain-why-hes-not-spending-money-to-stop-russian-meddling?ref=home
Me.
(35,454 posts)There is no excuse for not signing unless you don't want this country protected.
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)Or a decorating job for one of Melanoma's goddamn girlfriends.
Or a "cone of silence" for wanking off, excuse me, "executive time".
Or private jets to see All Teh Golds.
Or GOLFING TRIPS.
Jesus, why do their minions excuse this shit?.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,032 posts)Doodley
(9,119 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Russpublicans.
Putin could withdraw the Russian Order of Friendly Oil Capitalists at a moments notice.
maxsolomon
(33,382 posts)Are the lights even on at the State Dept nowadays?
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)while leaving the election and electoral process wide open to Ivan and Boris.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)And the GOP Congress doesn't care about 'we, the people'.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)also Putin. Putin is a billionaire kleptocrat, as is Trump, and so are those Americans who are mostly controlling the GOP, like the hundreds who belong to the Koch alliance.
Tillerson as a life-long employee of Exxon only measures his wealth in the hundreds of millions.
However, Exxon (and thus he as part owner) has many billions of dollars and profits tied up in Russian oil fields, as does Russia. We have no idea how much Tillerson's share will be if the sanctions are lifted and he can get away with it.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)Last edited Thu Mar 8, 2018, 06:59 PM - Edit history (1)
Media should call it what it is: an attack. Just because it's a slow moving attack, in an invisible medium (cyberspace and social media), with gradual, cumulative results, does not make it any less dangerous and damaging to our country.
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