EXCLUSIVE Dems Demand Rex Tillerson Explain Why He's Not Spending Money to Stop Russian Meddling

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast



EXCLUSIVE Democrats Demand Rex Tillerson Explain Why He’s Not Spending Money to Stop Russian Meddling

$120 million was given to State to counter election meddling. Not a dime has been spent. Now, lawmakers want answers.

ANDREW DESIDERIO
03.08.18 1:36 PM ET

Congressional Democrats are demanding answers from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over the failure of the State Department to spend money allocated for countering Russian election meddling.

“This is the latest example of the Trump administration both ignoring the will of Congress and letting Russia off the hook for its attack on American democracy,” Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote in a letter to Tillerson that was obtained by The Daily Beast.

The letter marks an escalation against the Trump administration from lawmakers who have viewed its Russia policy as lackluster, if not feckless. And it comes on the heels of a Sunday New York Times report showing that the State Department had not spent a dime of the $120 million Congress appropriated for the purpose of countering foreign election-meddling and anti-democratic propaganda efforts—$60 million per year for fiscal years 2017 and 2018. The Pentagon transferred just $40 million of that funding to the State Department’s Global Engagement Center this week.

“It remains unclear if or when any funding will be put to use. This baffling inaction has failed to bolster America and our allies at a critical moment,” lawmakers said in their letter, which was signed by all committee Democrats except for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). Gabbard’s office did not immediately return request for comment.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-demand-rex-tillerson-explain-why-hes-not-spending-money-to-stop-russian-meddling?ref=home

[Me.]

1. Maybe Tulsi Agrees With Tillerson & The Comrade In The WH

There is no excuse for not signing unless you don't want this country protected.

[flibbitygiblets]

2. Yes, and we want receipts! No spending $30K on a goddamn chair, a-holes.

Or a decorating job for one of Melanoma's goddamn girlfriends.
Or a "cone of silence" for wanking off, excuse me, "executive time".
Or private jets to see All Teh Golds.
Or GOLFING TRIPS.

Jesus, why do their minions excuse this shit?.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Tillerson is owned by Putin

[Doodley]

4. Because he is a friend of Russia - he has the Medal of the Order Friendship awarded by Putin.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Good thing it is not Clinton getting tha medal, that would launch a dozen investigations by

Russpublicans.

Putin could withdraw the Russian Order of Friendly Oil Capitalists at a moments notice.

[maxsolomon]

5. EXCLUSIVE: Rex Tillerson ignores Dems

Are the lights even on at the State Dept nowadays?

[Fred Sanders]

9. No doubt busy spending millions allocated for cyber security instead to protect THEM from hacking

while leaving the election and electoral process wide open to Ivan and Boris.

[left-of-center2012]

6. This administration doesn't care what Congress wants

And the GOP Congress doesn't care about 'we, the people'.

[Hortensis]

11. Tillerson has plenty of common interest with GOP congress,

also Putin. Putin is a billionaire kleptocrat, as is Trump, and so are those Americans who are mostly controlling the GOP, like the hundreds who belong to the Koch alliance.

Tillerson as a life-long employee of Exxon only measures his wealth in the hundreds of millions.
However, Exxon (and thus he as part owner) has many billions of dollars and profits tied up in Russian oil fields, as does Russia. We have no idea how much Tillerson's share will be if the sanctions are lifted and he can get away with it.

[Beartracks]

8. Why do they keep using "meddling"? This isn't Scooby Doo.

Last edited Thu Mar 8, 2018, 06:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Media should call it what it is: an attack. Just because it's a slow moving attack, in an invisible medium (cyberspace and social media), with gradual, cumulative results, does not make it any less dangerous and damaging to our country.

============

[riversedge]

10. And get the Russian sanctions going while you are at it Tilly!