Thread by @deangloster

Q: What do you get when you cross Vladimir Putin with Bernie Sanders?

A: No one knows. With four chances, in votes on sanctions on Russia, Bernie has yet to cross Putin. But it would be nice if it happened someday.

2012 Magnitsky Act-nay
2014-nay
2017-nay
2019-absent

Here's Sanders explanation for voting no on the 2017 bill (it also sanctioned Iran), which I'm not really buying:

1. The bill didn't, in fact, cause Iran to claim the nuclear deal was breached--Mango Cheetolini had to tear up the agreement. 1/2

2. No other Senator had that opposition. (Only Rand Paul voted with Sanders against the sanctions, of whom John McCain said, "The Senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin".)

3. Bernie makes it sound like he's "protecting Obama's" legacy achievement. 2/3

But Bernie so despised Obama's centrism, he planned to primary Obama in 2016 and had to be talked out of that by Harry Reid.

4. That doesn't explain the other nay votes. (Absent in 2019 because of meeting w/those been victimized by the misogyny/abuse in his campaign staff.)3/3

All that said, if Bernie wins the nomination, I'm #VoteBlueNoMatterWho.

Better a guy I don't completely trust on Russia that a guy (Mango Mussolini) who's definitely a Russian tool and actively destroying the rule of law.

*Oops: Typo. Bernie planned to primary Obama in 2012 (not 2016) and had to be talked out of it by Harry Reid:

theatlantic.com/politics/archi…