Senator Renews Calls For Russia Sanctions | Morning Joe

AND IT HAPPENS.
>> HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES. >> LET'S START WITH RUSSIA.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD GO
HEAVY ON MEDDLING WITH THE ELECTION WHEN HE MEETS WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL GETS MOVING AGAIN.
WHAT IS GOING ON? >> THAT BILL NOW HAVING BEEN
PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE 98-2
STALLED IND IN THE HOUSE BECAUS LARGELY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
HAS RE60sINGED IT. THIS BILL WOULD PROVIDE FOR MUCH
STRONGER SANCTIONS AGAINST THE ENERGY AND FINANCIAL SECTORS.
>> WHY WOULD A CONSERVATIVE INSTITUTION TRY TO STAND IN THE
WAY EVER A SANCTIONS BILL THAT WOULD KEEP PUTIN FROM RIGGING AN
ELECTION? >> THE EXCUSE IS THAT IT IS A
REVENUE RAISING MEASURE. >> SO IT'S A PROCEDURAL CONCERN?
>> THAT IS THE EXCUSE. >> THAT IS NOT REALLY THE
REASON. THE MISS THERE IS MYSTERY IS WHY
HASN'T THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKEN A FORCEFUL STAND IN --
>> SO NOAH, WHY -- I MEAN, COMMENTARY CERTAIN WOULD ASSUME

WHY WOULD CONSERVATIVES OPPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST PUTIN?
>> I SUPPOSE THE CHARITABLE EXPLANATION IS THAT THIS TAKES
THE POWER AWAY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO IMPLEMENT SANCTIONS
THAT THEY HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH WILL
FIGHT FOR ITS AUTHORITY VERSUS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.
THAT IS HOW THE SYSTEM IS ENVISIONED.
IN THE EVENT -- >> THAT IS AN EXCUSE AS WELL.
PARDON ME FOR INTERRUPTING. BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY COMPANY CODY
GUYS AND STRENGTHENS THE PRESIDENT TAKING ADDITIONAL
SANCTIONS AGAINST THE MINING AND RAIL INTERESTS EVER RUSSIA.
>> SO THAT COULD BE AN ARGUMENT. AT THE SAME TIME, DO YOU SUPPORT
WHAT THE SENATE IS DOING? >> I THINK IT'S NECESSARY
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONGRESS REASSERT ITSELF.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HOUSE WILL COME UP WITH.
WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD AT WHICH YOU AND SENATE DEMOCRATS WILL
DECLINE TO SUPPORT A WEAKER VERSION OF THIS BILL?
>> THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS BILL HAS SUPPORT IN THE
HOUSE. AND IT WOULD BE PASSED IN THE
HOUSE IF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GIVES THE GREEN
LIGHT AND THE MYSTERY IS WHY HAVEN'T THEY.
AND I THINK IT HAS TO DO POSSIBLY WITH FINANCIALING AND

THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE IS SIMPLY RESISTING THE MEDDLING
INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED NOW BY THE SPECIAL COUNSEL.
>> I THINK THOSE ARE ALL POSSIBILITIES BUT WE'RE DANCING
AROUND A LITTLE MORE HIGH MINDED ISSUE WHICH IS HOW MUCH POWER
SHOULD THE EXECUTIVE HAVE, HOW MUCH POWER SHOULD CONGRESS HAVE.
A POSITION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING IS THAT
THIS PUTS TOO MUCH POWER IN THE HANDS HANDS OF CONGRESS TO DECI
WHETHER THESE SANCTIONS COME OFF, APPROVE THINGS AND SO ON,
SO FORTH, TAKING POWER THAT WAS TRADITIONALLY IN THE HANDS OF
THE EXECUTIVE AWAY. I THINK TRUMP HAS NOBODY TO
BLAME BUT HIMSELF BECAUSE NOBODY TRUSTS HIM DO, QUOTE, THE RIGHT
THING ON RUSSIA SO CONGRESS WANTS TO HAVE MORE OF A SAY.
BUT IN A PERFECT WORLD, THIS WOULD REPRESENT A DIMINISHMENT
OF POWER. >> IT'S HARD NOT TO CONNECT THE
DOTS HERE BETWEEN THIS PRESIDENT AND AN UNSEEMING LEANIANCE
TOWARD WHAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST THREAT TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY IN
THE NEXT TEN YEARS ESPECIALLY IF OUR ELECTIONS ARE IMPACTED BY
RUSSIA. >> AND CONNECTING A FEW MORE
DOTS, PUTIN HAS TO BE COMPELLED TO BE AWARE THAT RUSSIA WILL PAY
A PRICE. IT HAS TO BE MORE THAN A JAB OR
A PUNCH IN THIS CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY.
IT HAS TO BE A COMPELLING STATEMENT THAT THIS COUNTRY WILL
NOT TOLERATE -- >> WHAT WOULD BE THE REASONS NOT
TO DO THAT? >> WELL, I THINK THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TRUMP AND RUSSIA AND WE KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS
THEME OF WHY WON'T HE JUST SAY THAT THE RUSSIANS MEDALLED IN

TIGHTEN SANCTIONS. AND THERE ARE NO GOOD ANSWERS.
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE THAT THERE IS NO
CLEAN ANSWER THAT DOESN'T LEAD TO YOU BELIEVE THAT TRUMP FOR
WHATEVER REASON WANTS TO TAKE A FRIENDLY POSTURE TOWARD MOSCOW.
BUT I WANTED TO PICK UP ABOUT WHERE THE CONGRESS NATIONAL SEC
MAKING. WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT
POSSIBLE MILITARY OPTIONS. IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT
RIGHT NOW, BUT GOING FORWARD, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CONGRESS IF
THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WANTS TO TAKE ACTION UNILATERALLY, DOES
CONGRESS HAVE A ROLE OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT
COULD DO ON HIS OWN? >> I THINK CONGRESS HAS A CLEAR
ROLE AND A A NECESSARY ROLE. I HAVE LONG FAVORED THE
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE TO BE REVISED
WITH RESPECT TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN, MIDDLE EAST. AND WE HAVE ASKED AS A MATTER OF
FACT SENATORS CARDIN AND McCAIN WITH LED THIS EFFORT TO DEMAND
THAT THE PRESIDENT COME FORWARD WITH A STRATEGY THAT WOULD ON
JUSTIFY ANY MILITARY ACTION. SO THERE HAS TO BE A
COMPREHENSIVE LOOK BE AND CONGRESS CERTAINLY HAS A ROLE TO
PLAY IF THERE WILL BE THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE NO GOOD ANSWERS IN NORTH KOREA.
THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD ANSWERS WITH RESPECT TO RUSSIA WHICH IS
MAKE THEM PAY A PRICE IN THE TRADITIONAL SANCTIONS.
THERE SHOULD BE NATIONAL UNITY THAT DEMANDS PRESIDENT REALLY
SUPPORT THIS SANCTIONS BILLE AND GET IT THROUGH RIGHT AWAY.
>> AND CERTAINLY THERE WASUNITY SENATE.
THE QUESTION WAS ASKED WHY, WHY WOULD HE OPPOSE RUSSIAN
SANCTIONS. WHY WOULD HE GET IN THE WAY.
WHY WOULD HE -- WELL, THERE IS ALWAYS A WHY SURROUNDING RUSSIA.
AND WE CAN GO BACK TO DECEMBER OF 2015.
WE HAD DONALD TRUMP ON THE SHOW HE IN DECEMBER OF 2015 SAYING
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN.
HE LIKES HIM, HE'S A STRONG LEADER, HE DIDN'T LIKE OUR OWN
PRESIDENT. BUT HE KILLS JOURNALISTS.
WELL, WE KILL -- >> YEAH, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS
OURSELVES. >> AND HE JUST REFUSED TO
CONDEMN THE POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS, HE REFUSED TO
CONDEMN THE ASSASSINATIONS AGAINST JOURNALISTS.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL WE ASKED HIM A LEADING QUESTION, AN
AGGRESSIVE LEADING QUESTION HE GOES YEAH, SURE, SURE I DO.
THERE IS ALWAYS A WHY AROUND IT. >> IT'S A TRULY PERVERSE THING
AND WE COULD FILL IN SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS LIKE THE MOMENT
DURING THAT PRESIDENTIAL FORUM WHEN HE SAID PUTIN WAS A MUCH
STRONGER LEADER THAN OBAMA. >> THE INTERVIEW WITH BILL
O'REILLY WHERE HE SAID YOU'RE SOLDIERS IN IRAQ KILLED A LOT OF
PEOPLE. >> AND AT THIS POINT IT'S HARD
TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS PURE -- PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING HIM TO
DO THIS FOR SO LONG, AND HE'S DIGGING HIS HEELS IN.
BUT I AGREE WITH THE SENATOR. SANCTIONS ARE NECESSARY.
HE NEEDS TO DO MORE THAN PUNCH OR JAB AT THE BEGINNING EVER
THIS MEETING WITH PUTIN. HE NEEDS TO SAY --
>> AND THE MORE HE DOESN'T DO IT,BEGINNING EVER THIS
MEETING WITH PUTIN. HE NEEDS TO SAY --
>> AND THE MORE HE DOESN'T DO IT, THESE QUESTIONS WILL HAUNT
HIS ENTIRE PRESIDENCY UNLESS HE DOES CAN THOSE THINGS IN TERMS
OF SANCTIONS AND RUSSIAN MEDDLING.
>> PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW HIS TWEETS ARE NOT IN HIS BEST
INTERESTS. I WOULD SAY HIS CONTINUING TO BE
OB SEEK WOULD HE US TO VLADIMIR PUTIN ACTUALLY UNDERCUTS HIS
AUTHORITY AS A PRESIDENT TO DO SO MANY THINGS.
>> I THINK BOTH OF THOSE THINGS UNDERCUT HIS PRESIDENCY
ESPECIALLY ON THE WORLD STAGE. >> BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY,
SENATOR, THAT THE SENATE OR THE HOUSE OR ANYBODY WHO ACTUALLY
GIVES A DAMN ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA AND OUR
STANDING IN THE WORLD CAN LOOK AT HOW HE'S BEEN TOWARD VLADIMIR
PUTIN OVER THE PAST 24 MONTHS AND NOT SAY THERE HAS TO BE
SOMETHING THERE SO IF HE IS NOT GOING TO UPHOLD INTERNATIONAL
NORMS, THEN WE IN THE SENATE AND WE IN THE HOUSE WILL HAVE TO.
>> AND THE QUESTION IS, AND I THINK YOU PUT IT VERY WELL, ON
THE ISSUE OF TRUST, IS HE PUTTING OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS
FIRST OR HIS EGO OR HIS FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS DEALINGS.
THAT IS ONE REASON WHY 200 OF US HAVE SUED THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES BECAUSE THE QUESTION IS WHETHER HE'S PUTTING
THE NATIONAL INTERESTS AHEAD OF HIS FINANCIAL DEALINGS.
WHICH HE HAS FAILED TO DISCLOSE, WHETHER IT'S THE CHINESE
TRADEMARKS OR THE PAYMENTS BY THE SAUDIS OF A QUARTER MILLION
DOLLARS FOR HIS PROPERTIES AND --
>> HIS FIRST TRIP OF COURSE. >> THERE HAS TO BE DISCLOSURE 37
WE CAN'T CONSENT TO WHAT WE DON'T KNOW AND THERE IS A
REQUIREMENT IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT CONGRESS CONSENT.
THANK YOU. >> AND SPEAKING OF CONGRESS, THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NEEDS TO PUT A DISCHARGE POSITION.
>> TO STEP UP. >> ON THE FLOOR.
THEY HAVE GOT TO PASS THE SENATE SANCTI

Senator Renews Calls For Russia Sanctions | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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