Politics

Senate Passes Resolution To Protect Diplomats And Government Officials From Putin

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The Senate passed a resolution urging President Donald Trump not to turn over diplomats or government officials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, despite the White House saying that Trump would not do so.

“The United States should refuse to make available any current or former diplomat, civil servant, political appointee, law enforcement official, or member of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin,” the resolution says.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New Jersey Democratic  Sen. Bob Menendez, and Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz introduced the resolution after Trump suggested he would turn over former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and American financier Bill Browder to Putin’s government for questioning.

In exchange for turning over McFaul and Browder, Putin would possibly allow the U.S. to interrogate the 12 Russians indicted for hacking into Democratic campaign servers last week.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Trump was no longer considering the deal in a Thursday press conference. “It is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it,” Sanders said. “Hopefully President Putin will have the 12 identified Russians come to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt.

Still, Schumer proceeded with the resolution. “I call on President Trump to say once and for all, not through his spokes people, that the lopsided, disgraceful trade he called an incredible offer is now off the table,” Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday. 

Browder is at odds with the Russian government over his advocacy for sanctions. McFaul, who was the ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, says he is banned from traveling to Russia.

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