Franklin Graham meets with sanctioned Russian official

[neohippie]

https://thinkprogress.org/why-was-franklin-graham-schmoozing-with-a-sanctioned-russian-official-this-month-b38f1aa1af13/

Why was Franklin Graham schmoozing with a sanctioned Russian official this month?
Graham described his meeting with one sanctioned Russian official as an "honor"—and claimed Mike Pence signed off on it.


Franklin Graham, America’s most prominent evangelical leader, says Vice President Mike Pence signed off on his trip to Russia earlier this month. While there, Graham met with sanctioned Kremlin officials — even as U.S. investigations ramped up into Moscow’s election interference efforts. One official Russian governmental social media account touted the meeting as a way to “[intensify] contacts between the State Duma and the U.S. Congress.”

In an interview with RIA Novosti, a major Russian state-run outlet, Graham said he called Pence directly to tell him of the trip. “He was very happy to hear the news,” Graham said. “And he admitted that he fully supported my decision.”

A spokesperson for Graham told ThinkProgress that he is currently traveling and unavailable for an interview. Pence’s office did not respond to ThinkProgress’s requests for comment.

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[Ilsa]

1. The Graham family is a bunch of crooked grifters with

No morals or patriotism.

I hope franklin gets taken down with the rest of the trump-manafort cabal.

[Zoonart]

2. The unbearable whiteness of Christian identity fascism.

[Lars39]

3. I still want to know how he was in Iraq just weeks after Shock and Awe.

The only thing I can think of for either visit is cementing the fundamentalists goals. Interesting that he got the red carpet treatment from Russia.

[Chin music]

4. WHY?

As if he has some role that requires him to do this. Another malignant 'back-channel"? All sorts of condemnation for Catholics 24/7, nothing for the angry fundies. Ever.