Crapo blocks attempt to fast-track bill that would punish Russia for meddling with elections

On the same day that President Donald J. Trump hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the White House, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, blocked an effort to fast-track a bill meant to punish Russia or other foreign countries for meddling in U.S. elections, as Russia did in 2016.

On the U.S. Senate floor on Tuesday, one of the bill’s sponsors asked for unanimous consent that the Senate take up a bill that has been pending in the Senate Banking Committee since July. Crapo chairs the committee, which has jurisdiction over sanctions.

Under the bipartisan bill, the Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER) Act, after every federal election the director of national intelligence, in consultation with other intelligence agencies, the Department of Justice, and State, Treasury and Homeland Security secretaries, would determine whether there was foreign interference in the election. If so, sanctions would be imposed. The bill also contains additional language specific to Russia.

Crapo objected to fast-tracking the bill, which he said would circumvent his committee process.

He told the Senate he is willing to work on the legislation, “but we need to get it right because economic sanctions legislation is a two-edged sword. It hurts the United States and our allies often as much as it hurts the entities sanctioned.”

Laws are already in place to sanction Russian meddling, Crapo said. He also claimed that “Trump has probably put more sanctions on the Russians than any president in our history.”

Trump, however, has repeatedly questioned the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump and harm his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. He also has given credence to a baseless conspiracy theory that Ukraine, which is fighting an irregular war with Russia, had interfered in 2016 on behalf of Clinton, The Washington Post reported.

Trump’s own dealings with Ukraine have put him on the brink of impeachment in the U.S. House.

Crapo said the bipartisan bill in committee is more about politics than policy.

“The mechanisms in this bill have been designed more to attack the Trump administration and Republicans than to attack the Russians and those who would attack our country and our elections,” he said.

“I’ve indicated my willingness to work on this legislation,” he concluded in his Senate floor remarks. “So I think rather than continuing to stand here on the floor and debate why we like or don’t like what President Trump is doing, we ought to get down to the serious business of legislating.”

Crapo referenced Lavrov’s visit in his floor statement: “(W)e have leaders from Russia in America today. And in response to that, our secretary of state, Secretary (Mike) Pompeo, has said that the Trump administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections – period – should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes we will take action in response.”

After visiting with Lavrov on Tuesday, Trump tweeted, “Just had a very good meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of Russia. Discussed many items including Trade, Iran, North Korea, INF Treaty, Nuclear Arms Control, and Election Meddling. Look forward to continuing our dialogue in the near future!”

Just had a very good meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of Russia. Discussed many items including Trade, Iran, North Korea, INF Treaty, Nuclear Arms Control, and Election Meddling. Look forward to continuing our dialogue in the near future! pic.twitter.com/tHecH9a9ck

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2019

“President Trump warned against any Russian attempts to interfere in United States elections,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement, according to Reuters.

Lavrov disputed that account, and told reporters, “We haven’t even actually discussed elections.”

Lavrov also met with Pompeo on Tuesday. Pompeo said he warned against Russian interference in U.S. elections, according to The Associated Press.

“I was clear: It’s unacceptable, and I made our expectations of Russia clear,” Pompeo said of election interference. “The Trump administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections.”

Lavrov derided the “wave of suspicions that has overcome Washington” related to election interference, renewing demands that evidence of such activity be given to Moscow, according to reports.

“All speculation about our alleged interference in domestic processes of the United States is baseless,” Lavrov said.

Pompeo said the U.S. has published its conclusions — the ones Trump has often derided. “We don’t think there is any mistake about what transpired,” Pompeo said.

This article first appeared in the Idaho Statesman. It is used here with permission.