[F]ollowing President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday, members of Vermont’s congressional delegation are calling for lawmakers to take action.
At a joint press conference in Helsinki Monday, Trump said that he trusted Putin’s denials of Russian involvement in the 2016 election, despite the conclusion by every U.S. intelligence agency that Russia undertook a campaign to influence the election.
Trump partially walked the remark back on Tuesday, saying that he accepts the findings of U.S. investigators, while also saying that other countries might have been involved in the election meddling.
There was further confusion Wednesday when a reporter asked the president if he believed Russian efforts were ongoing. Trump appeared to answer “no,” but the White House said he had been misunderstood.
The president’s interactions with Putin have elicited sharp criticisms this week from Democrats and some Republicans. Many on Capitol Hill, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, plainly stated their support for the conclusions of investigators that Russia interfered in the election after the presidents’ Helsinki meeting.
Democrats, including members of Vermont’s delegation, have responded by calling for Congress to take steps to protect the special counsel probe, fortify election infrastructure security and rebuff Trump.
In remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., rebuffed Trump’s conduct with Putin.
“When it comes to Russia, it appears he does not intend to abide by his oath to protect and defend our nation, and this Congress is going to be derelict in its duty if it takes no action,” he said.
Leahy called on his colleagues across the aisle to condemn the president’s actions “which were as dangerous as they were shameful,” he said.
He pushed for lawmakers to take up a resolution “making it clear if president Trump chooses to stand with President Putin, he stands alone.”
Leahy also charged that Trump cannot be trusted to let the special counsel probe into Russian election interference play out.
He called for a measure passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in April to advance. The bill, which passed the committee with bipartisan support, would establish protections for special counsel Robert Mueller.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., sponsored a parallel measure in the House, which has not yet advanced.
Leahy said there is a desire to improve relations with Russia — an aim Trump boasted he advanced through the meeting. However, he criticized Trump’s approach.
“Russia is not our friend. Of course we want to see improved relations with Russia and Syria on nuclear proliferation, on many critical issues. For that to happen, Russia needs to respect our democracy and values,” Leahy said. “We must not slouch down to theirs.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., came out a strong critic of Republican lawmakers who did not rebuke the president.
In a series of tweets Wednesday, Sanders called for Congress, particularly Republican senators, to take five steps in the wake of Trump’s meeting with Putin.
“If President Trump won’t confront Putin about interference in our elections and his destabilizing policies, Congress must act,” Sanders wrote.
If President Trump won’t confront Putin about interference in our elections and his destabilizing policies, Congress must act. Tweets and speeches are fine, but we need more from Republican senators now.
Congress must take these 5 actions to rein in Trump’s dangerous behavior:
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2018
1) The Congress must make it clear that we accept the assessment of our intelligence community with regard to Russian election meddling in our country and in other democracies.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2018
3) The Congress must demand that the sanctions against Russia that were passed last year be fully implemented.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2018
4) The Congress must make it clear that we will not accept any interference with the ongoing investigation of Special Counsel Mueller, such as the offer of preemptive pardons or the firing of Rod Rosenstein, and that the president must cooperate with this investigation.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2018
5) And finally, the Congress must make it clear to President Trump that his job is to protect the values that millions of Americans struggled, fought and died to defend: democracy, justice and equality.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2018
Sanders called for a strong statement from Congress backing the conclusion of intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016, as well as for action to protect the election systems.
Lawmakers should “demand” that the administration enforce sanctions against Russia, which were passed last year, he said.
Sanders also pushed for Congress to protect the special counsel investigation.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called Trump’s comments with Putin “stunningly reckless” in a statement on Monday.
“With Republican congressional leaders willing to look the other way, it’s clear that Robert Mueller is the only person in Washington capable of holding accountable those who enabled and participated in this unprecedented attack on America,” Welch said.
Welch reaffirmed his confidence in the special counsel probe when asked during a Facebook Q&A on Wednesday. He also criticized the president’s “backflip denials” about his remarks regarding Russian interference.
“But I still think best approach is to support the independent Mueller investigation,” he said.
