1. IMPORTANT: Among the many outrages in Helsinki, Trump appears to have bought (or been suckered) into providing fuel to Putin's animus for former US Ambassador to Russia Mike @McFaul. The Administration needs to kill this outrageous proposal before it gets any legs.
2. Trump cited Putin's "interesting idea" and "incredible offer" regarding the Mueller investigation. Russia would allow Mueller's investigators to come to Russia to question the 12 operatives indicted in connection with interference in the US election. But there was a catch.
3. Putin conditioned the offer on Russia being able to send investigators to question those involved in alleged crimes involving Russia. He singled out Bill Browder &referenced a mysterious alleged plot he and "associates" were involved with to launder money to HRC's campaign.
4. My 11-year old knows the offer is ludicrous and unacceptable. Russia will provide nothing on the 12 operatives, use any visit to gather intel on the investigation, & try to elevate garbage charges against Putin's opponents to the level of Mueller's well-documented allegations.
5. Trump didn't get it. Or did. But it gets worse. Russian media reported that one of the targets of the probe suggested by Putin is none other than @McFaul. Putin has always hated McFaul, who he viewed, erroneously, as trying to engineer a revolution & ensure Putin's overthrow.
6. Under no circumstances can the US government permit, or even contemplate, making those who have served the US government faithfully available to the spurious "investigations" of our adversaries. They owe it to past, current, and future US officials to uphold that principle.
7. The WH & @SecPompeo need to shut this down now. Immediately. They need to make clear that there will be no cooperation with Putin's transparent intel op disguised as mutual aid to parallel investigations & no exposing @McFaul or other USG officials to Russian questioning.
8. This issue could not be more serious. Putin's political opponents often wind up dead. The idea of a former US officials being questioned, arrested, or, God forbid, harmed by Russia needs to be rejected forcefully by the Administration. Today.
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