What the hell UK

[EleanorR]

Boris is treating the oligarchs with kid gloves. Shameful.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Irish_Dem]

1. So how much money has Boris taken from the Russians?

Everyone's true colors are showing in neon lights.

[EleanorR]

2. And other conservatives

Boris Johnson could not have been more clear. “I just think it’s very important that the house understands: we do not raise money from Russian oligarchs.” Some opposition MPs laughed, and it very much is the case that the prime minister was accurate only in a strict legalistic sense.

It would be impossible for someone with only Russian nationality, however rich, to donate legally to a UK political party. What has undoubtedly happened is that a series of people with dual UK-Russian nationality, or with significant business links with Russia, have donated heavily to the Conservatives in recent years.

A Labour party calculation based on Electoral Commission information estimated that donors who had made money from Russia or Russians had given £1.93m to either the Tory party or constituency associations since Johnson became prime minister.

Others put the sum higher. Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, to whom Johnson was replying in the Commons on Wednesday, said the Tories had raised £2.3m “from Russian oligarchs”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/23/oligarchs-funding-tories

[Irish_Dem]

3. Yep. Looks like Putin bought off half of UK government, just like in the US.

[L. Coyote]

7. The UK is a haven for money laundering, and that spells Corruption at high levels.

Boris Johnson is the UK's Donald Trollop, he loves those rubles.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Irish_Dem]

9. I hope their Russian revenue stream takes a hit.

[world wide wally]

8. "Boris" is not a Spanish name

Just sayin'

[geardaddy]

29. LOL

[smirkymonkey]

37. Interesting observation.

He is certainly living up to his Russian namesake. What a disaster he has been for the UK.

[Ford_Prefect]

20. Those are the above ground figures tied to political funding disclosures.

They do not include at least 50 times that amount paid to special friends of the Tory party or invested in their personal interests and "family" businesses. Any number of the Tory party elite have duplicitous arrangements outside the specifically political arena by which interested individuals may express their support for the party, its members, their policies and actions in government. It has been said the Tory leadership floats on a sea of corrupt money paid by Russian as well as other oligarchs, industrial and banking interests in much they way the GOP is here. Such an insulating arrangement would explain why they no longer care how the rest of Britain fares under Brexit.

When you consider that Putin is rumoured to personally control 200 billion or more , spending 100 million seems merely the price of doing business... Especially when you realize he is not along in carrying that cost either in Britain or here. And then there is the considerable wealth of the Russian government spent as foreign policy investment.

[relayerbob]

4. Who funded Brexit?

Follow the money

[2naSalit]

5. +1

Another owned not liberal politician, though owned in a different sense.

[WA-03 Democrat]

24. Correct - Donny

even flew over to their to celebrate with Nigel

[kimbutgar]

26. Exactly Boris got in because of the Russian op Brexit to weaken the EU

[bhikkhu]

28. Which was partly to avoid EU anti money laundering laws

Part of why Russia was so keen on Brexit was to weaken the EU, another part was that the UK is a haven of dirty money and the oligarchs are most interested in keeping it that way.

[dchill]

6. Boris is going to need a ride, apparently.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

10. A month ago he was being forced to resign.

The new trick for corrupt leaders is to just wait out the scandal. It's just kinda weird that someone like Cuomo could wait it out until his own party forced him to go. Like Al Franken it was for misbehavior with women in their orbit. Not corruption.

[SergeStorms]

11. Johnson and Trump.

Two peas from the very same pod, a pod planted, fertilized, cultivated and harvested by Vladimir Putin.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Boris is "Trump, Jr."

Wish I could say this surprised me...

[Sancho]

13. money laundering and bribery capitals of the world: Miami and London

[LymphocyteLover]

14. You heard about his wife? She is part of a pro-Russian oligarch group. No joke.

Link to tweet

?s=20&t=c05HVRISmh_Jiva1Lb_DgA

[smirkymonkey]

40. Whoa! No, didn't know that.

But for some reason, I knew immediately that I didn't like her upon sight.

I know there are people who don't believe that having such a reaction could be legitamate, but there are people whom I react strongly to, even upon meeting them once or seeing their photo. I can pickup an energy from them.

Most people I feel pretty neutral about at first sight, others it takes me some time. Interesting that I couldn't stand her the moment I saw her. And not just because she is who she is. It was visceral.

[LymphocyteLover]

41. Hmm, interesting. I just thought she was a nice looking lady when I saw her pics...

[KS Toronado]

15. Wonder how many people are living in this country with dual citizenship?

And those with ties to Russia, can we find out which politicians they have donated to?
And how much?

[ancianita]

23. Oleg Deripaska, whose RUSAL is in Moscow Mitch's Kentucky, is one of those.

I've looked and not found answers to your very good questions, but will keep looking. I think docs on the richest of the rich are hard to come by, since many live non-jurisdictional lives. Got a private jet? Who needs a passport!

[KS Toronado]

32. The FEC keeps some of the most accurate records

Searching there drew a blank, he's a sly one alright, but then he's Moscow Mitch's buddy, who knows all the dirty tricks.
I'd bet he's given repugs a lot of money.

https://www.fec.gov/search/?query=Oleg+Deripaska&type=candidates&type=committees&type=site

[ancianita]

33. I hope so.

If so, they should have records of more dual citizenship Russians' election contributions than just his. Right?

[KS Toronado]

35. Correct, think I'll do a WWW search on Russians with dual citizenship

To see what it turns up. Already did one today you might like.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216434841

[ancianita]

36. Nice find. Good luck finding others. I can't get names, but you might try U.S.Treasury.gov, too.

I gave up after trying a few sources -- the US Treasury pages don't have lists, so it's not user friendly -- but I'm pretty sure the names are on the .gov site because I bookmarked a page back in 2016 when they sanctioned a few others.


EDIT: Try this page. It's got links.

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/russian-harmful-foreign-activities-sanctions

[KS Toronado]

39. Coming up empty so far, thanks for link I'll try it

Next WWW search might be Russian Americans in the news.

[ancianita]

38. Check this list. Then check the names against any FEC donation lists. Good luck.

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/russian-harmful-foreign-activities-sanctions

[BlueJac]

16. Boris is like Trump in many ways.

[AllaN01Bear]

17. why am i not suprized. 2 words panama papers .

[jaxexpat]

18. Boris Brexited accountability, have you not heard?

It's very true. Responsibility stops 2 miles south of the Dover cliffs. Reason, logic and other sound thinking techniques are banned from the channel ferries. Sanity is no-go in the "chunnel". Where once Europe lay, UK Google shows the edge of the word, a place ships fall off into space. Since the letters E and U have been excised from the nglish langag the nited Kingdom is diminished, somewhat.

It's hard to talk, confusion reigns, when they've removed 1/3 of your vowels.

[DallasNE]

19. I Hope You Didn't Think

That American conservatives were the only ones getting money from the Russians. That money obviously has a lot of strings attached.

[oldsoftie]

21. They're scared that Arabs will pull THEIR money out if they think one day IT could be seized

Thats what he's scared of

[AZLD4Candidate]

22. Anyone expect anything else from Boris Johnson? He pushed Brexit with help from Russian money

IT is beginning to appear the plan to invade Ukraine was planned a long time ago.

[Celerity]

25. Newtown Neurotics - Kick Out the Tories

[geardaddy]

30. Love it!

[AngryOldDem]

27. Not in the least surprised.

Disappointed, yes.

[Emrys]

31. Don't imagine for one minute that many of us in the UK aren't going "What the hell" as well

and haven't been doing so for many, many years.

[yardwork]

34. Of COURSE he is. That's why he was up there.

[HipChick]

42. Boris pockets are lined with Russian money...

[Sogo]

43. Looks like this is what Boris is aiming for. He came to power from Brexit, a Putin operation....

"They need to act fast or their reputation as the world’s money laundering capital will be set in stone forever."

[TexasBushwhacker]

44. He's a Tory n/t

[radius777]

45. European countries enabled Putin and his oligarchs for many years

as Gary Kasparov has clearly explained. They love his money and his oil/gas. That's why Ukraine and Georgia are not in NATO/EU despite begging to be in many years ago. That's why this is happening. And now the monster they helped create is not only a threat to Europe but the world.

[dlk]

46. Johnson is a mini-Trump

No one should be surprised.

[canetoad]

47. Email received this morning

From a good friend in UK. She came out of retirement to give vaccinations.

....Watching the news on the Ukraine and listening to the bloody tory party makes me want to give up living!!!! This was predicted in 2014 by American Intelligence if Britain chose to leave the EU therefore destabilizing it, the only thing Putin hoped would happen was the domino affect and it didn't happen! Johnson is a puppet for putin and hence pretend fury and token bans etc taken here