GOP Senator on Russian Election Hack: Hey, Everyone Does It

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast



Ahead of a congressional trip to Moscow, Richard Shelby of Alabama downplayed the Kremlin’s election interference, saying, ‘We’ve done a lot of things, too.’

ANDREW DESIDERIO
SPENCER ACKERMAN
06.28.18 6:02 PM ET

Shortly before traveling to Moscow with several colleagues, a senior Republican senator all but gave Russia a green light for future interference in U.S. elections.

"Most countries would meddle and play in our domestic elections if they could, and some of them have," the Washington Examiner quoted Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican and chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, as saying.

"We have to be realistic nations are going to do what is in their next [sic] interest; we’ve done a lot of things too."

Shelby, a former chairman of the Senate’s intelligence committee, is leading a delegation of Republican senators to Russia for nine days to meet with Russian officials. It’s unclear if they will meet with Vladimir Putin or his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-senator-on-russian-election-hack-hey-everyone-does-it?ref=home

[htuttle]

1. I guess we've finally come full circle

From 'There are no Russia connections'

Through several permutations, until finally we are at

"So what if they hacked our election?"

[pbmus]

3. To;;Collusion is no big deal

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

21. Who needs elections, anyway?

The time it takes people to vote could be better used making money for the corporation. Political contributions to candidates and PACs could be better used buying back stock and paying dividends. Think of all the money we'll save by not having to buy new nameplates every time a congressman or senator is voted out (that's rare, I know, but it happens).

I know Donnie Two Scoops would sign an EO canceling elections if he thought he could get away with it. He might do it anyway. He's had a lot of "wins" lately, and given the size of Trump's ego and his unpredictable behavior, he'd stop the elections just to piss of the Democrats, and maybe even the Republicans. The Repugs in Congress are too cowed by the Trump's invincible base they'll defend any batshit thing IQ45 does. For the GOP, it's "party over country" every time.

[FakeNoose]

23. Ri-i-i-ight - none of this matters anyway

Republicans are imbeciles of the worst order.

[lagomorph777]

25. Yup - and so what if we are participating? Shelby needs to join Roy Moore

in disgraced retirement.

[The Genealogist]

2. Oh well, hackers gotta hack, meddlers gotta meddle

We've messed up other people's elections too.

Anyone for lunch?

A foreign nation fucked around with a US election, and this is the reaction from a goddamned US senator. Screw you, traitor.

[skylucy]

4. OMG. Republican party is rotten and traitorous to it's core.

I feel kind of bad today because I ranted to my 91 year old father (a proud veteran of the Korean War) that our country---our democracy---is in deep trouble and that we are living through horrific times that I fear might not end well. He and my mom detest Trump but Dad is a sunny, optimistic person (Might be why he is still quite self sufficient, just passed his drivers license test, etc.) He feels that good will win out and Trump and the Repugs will get theirs in the end. I hope I didn't over do it with my rant and cause him even more upset about what is going on. Before I left, Dad, Mom and I all flipped the bird at Trump speaking on TV. My mother, always the gracious lady, never swore or gave the finger to anyone for 89 years...but she makes an exception for Trump.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. Good for you all. Gave me a well needed laugh, the 3 of you doing your thing together as ...

families should do, and I really enjoyed it. Best to all of you!!

[skylucy]

17. Thank you for your kind words!

[kimbutgar]

15. Major cool story

You’re lucky you have your parents still alive and politically active.

Both of my parents are gone but I can just imagine them being outraged by Twitler.. And I remember my Dad saying, “ Twitler was a phony jackass” in the 90’s.

[skylucy]

18. Thanks, Kimbutgar. And your Dad was obviously wise and knew what the Trumpster

was about!

[lagomorph777]

26. My parents are recently departed; I'm glad they didn't have to see this. It would have killed them.

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. Hey everybody does...

... that... thing...that... totally didn't happen... and is fake news... that...everybody does...all...the time... except we didn't do...uh...ever.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Is this Shelby of "We have bin Laden on the run" fame?

So, he comes from a trip from the Middle East right before we get hit on 9/11, and now he's talking up Russia and dismissing the kind of election meddling that starts wars in other countries?

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

7. Whee was your voice when

"We did a lot of things too?" Bullshit. You protect the decisions your country makes in keeping us secure. Unreal.

[MelissaB]

8. Senator Shelby from Alabama leading a delegation of Republican senators to Russia.

Hey, everybody does it.

[0rganism]

9. so how are you going to PROTECT US from such meddling, Sen. Shelby?

any sane representative of our federal government who isn't in CYA mode should be prepared to answer such questions or comments regarding Russian interference in our presidential election with a detailed response concerning countermeasures, not some "everyone's doing it" bullshit.

[truthisfreedom]

10. Hackers gotta hack, investigators gotta PROSECUTE

[yonder]

11. He can say what he likes with that big ole "R" after his name. With impunity.

No problemo. Hide behind it all day long.

As we know, it would be a different story with a Democrat. The hearing would've started by now and within a week some unfortunate soul would have been removed from office. A quick trial, guilty verdict would result followed by a frog march to the local federal pen.

Hyperbole? Sure, but right now that's what it's looking like from my POV.

[SWBTATTReg]

13. Exactly. If the hacking happened to a repub, and caused them to lose an election, like you ...

say here, I guarantee you they (repubs) would have been all up in everyone's faces, screaming and yelling.

Hypocrites, all of them.

[MagickMuffin]

14. Going In Before the MidTerm Election, I see

Makes perfect sense if anyone is paying attention!

[kimbutgar]

16. Let's just drop the word republican and have the [R) mean Russian agent from now on.

[Toorich]

19. Yes, but ....

..... he wears a little bitty flag on his lapel and stands for the Nat'l anthem.
And he believes millionaires and billionaires need tax relief.
He's a goddamned bona fide reThug and that's all you need to know. Selah!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

20. Yet if anyone to the left of Mussolini ever pointed out US malfeasance. We were told to love it or

leave it, blah, blah, blah. These motherfuckers have the consistency of pudding.

[Snellius]

22. Russia Invades US. Unopposed. Who cares? Hey, Everyone Does It.

The Republican Party stands for nothing anymore. If they ever really did. Except holding on to power. Even when democracy gets in their way. They are as morally and ideologically bankrupt as the Soviet Union before its fall.

[Nitram]

24. Probably most Republicans really believe that because they do it all the time.

[Freethinker65]

27. So he has no problem that Russia supported Trump because it was in Russia's interest to do so??

Aren't these the same people that told us Russia was pure evil and we should be scared for our lives from exKGB Putin just a few years ago? And now they gladly go to meet with Russia officials?

So why was is in Russia's best interest to have Trump elected, Mr. Shelby?

[qazplm135]

28. they wont care

until it's against them.