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26 Apr, 5 tweets, 2 min read
New: Republicans tear into John Kerry over his alleged disclosures to Iran about Israel’s operations in Syria.

Sullivan: “People are talking about treason—and I don’t throw that word around a lot.”

But Lindsey Graham urges caution.

Story w/ @burgessev
politico.com/news/2021/04/2…
Graham sticks up for Kerry: “I don’t know if we should trust that tape or not. If it’s true, it’s very damaging. I like John Kerry, but that would not be helpful & it would be very problematic if it were true. But let’s wait and see how authentic this is.”
politico.com/news/2021/04/2…
If Zarif’s accounting is accurate, it would not be the first time that a top American official revealed classified information to a foreign adversary. In 2017, Trump reportedly discussed Israeli intelligence information during an Oval Office meeting with top Russian officials.
Kerry denies Zarif’s account
Important to also note that Zarif doesn’t specify whether the alleged Kerry remarks happened before or after 2018, which is when the Israeli operations in Syria were first publicly acknowledged.

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More from @AndrewDesiderio

Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
26 Apr
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) calls for John Kerry’s resignation from the National Security Council. Sullivan says this is the first time he has called for a resignation.
Sullivan says Kerry is “arrogantly killing American jobs ... in the name of climate goals.”
On the Senate floor, Sullivan is now referencing the leaked tape of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif saying Kerry told him about covert Israeli operations against Iranian assets in Syria.
Read 4 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
12 Apr
New: McConnell talks with @politico about the unfinished business of his 36-year Senate career — a longtime fascination with Myanmar so vital to his identity that after the recent military coup, Biden coordinated the U.S. response with him.

politico.com/news/2021/04/1…
McConnell’s interest in Myanmar & friendship w/ Suu Kyi fly under the radar but it’s a defining aspect of a legacy he’s already cemented on judges & more.

The coup has elevated his role & influence even as he runs point on the opposition to Biden’s agenda
politico.com/news/2021/04/1…
“On the domestic front, I have not yet witnessed something that I’ve been happy about,” McConnell told me. “But in this area, I think their instincts are good. I think they’re trying to do the right thing.”

He hasn’t spoken w/ his longtime friend Aung San Suu Kyi since the coup.
Read 5 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
25 Mar
New: House moving to repeal 2002 Iraq war authorization today w/ bipartisan support. It’s the lowest-hanging fruit for proponents of reform, who now have an amenable White House & pure momentum on her side.

Enter the Senate filibuster.

w/ @connorobrienNH
politico.com/news/2021/03/2…
Even if Congress can repeal the Iraq AUMFs, crafting a replacement for the 2001 authorization will be a gargantuan task, w/ its unique complexities & the wide array of factions competing for influence.

“We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go”
politico.com/news/2021/03/2…
Senators are skeptical of Biden’s openness to a new AUMF vote.

Cardin: “We have found a consistency among administrations not to be terribly cooperative in limiting their powers. Without the help of the Biden administration, it’s going to be challenging.”
politico.com/news/2021/03/2…
Read 5 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
12 Mar
NEWS: The Biden administration is readying new sanctions on Russia over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline amid bipartisan political pressure.

In classified Hill briefing, Blinken provided little clarity on what the admin will do.

w/ @NatashaBertrand @bjlefebvre
politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
Cruz is delaying nominees over lack of sanctions.

“I would be thrilled to lift the holds on the State Department nominees today if they would only follow the law and issue an interim report identifying all of the companies subject to mandatory sanctions.”
politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
“What I would like to see is the administration act expeditiously to stop the remaining section of the pipeline,” Sen. Shaheen (D-N.H.) told me.

But with 90% of it done, the worst outcome would be imposing tough sanctions only to see it finalized anyway.

politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
Read 4 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
11 Mar
New: Biden is under growing pressure from hawkish Republicans to use the 2022 Winter Olympics to punish the Chinese government over its human rights abuses.

But even within the GOP, there’s disagreement over how far to push.

w/ @nahaltoosi

politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
Some are pushing for an all-out boycott, but most worry it could backfire. A boycott only punishes the athletes, they say, and Biden should instead press IOC to move the games elsewhere.

At this late stage that’d be tough to pull off, @marcorubio told me

politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
This issue is also gaining traction among possible 2024 candidates.

Haley & Pompeo support a boycott.

Cruz says that’d be a “serious mistake” akin to U.S. boycotting ’80 Olympics.

Rick Scott has been pushing to move the games since 2019.

politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
Read 4 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
2 Mar
New: The White House is openly currying favor with Bob Menendez, the new Foreign Relations chairman who’s often to the right of his caucus on foreign policy & has a history of causing trouble for a Democratic president who crosses him.

w/ @nahaltoosi

politico.com/news/2021/03/0…
The Obama WH made the mistake of crossing Menendez on Iran and Cuba, and he used his power to make things difficult for Obama on the nuke deal & Cuba reset.

Menendez tells us that Biden is already abandoning the “Obama model,” to his great satisfaction.

politico.com/news/2021/03/0…
The “Obama model,” as Menendez called it, didn’t value Congress’ role in shaping U.S. foreign policy.

Both Jake Sullivan and Tony Blinken sent us on-the-record statements praising Menendez, showing they’re already working to keep him happy—& in the loop.

politico.com/news/2021/03/0…
Read 5 tweets

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