Thread by @bradheitmann

One of Mike Lee's largest donors was a lobbyist for Russia's 2nd largest bank. Let's get into it.

A thread. With receipts.🧵1/

#mikelee #utah #senate #evanmcmullin

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, disturbing facts have come to light regarding the 7th largest donor to #MikeLee’s campaign committee, Sidley Austin LLP. 🧵2/ opensecrets.org/members-of-con… @EvanMcMullin

By way of background, Sidley Austin is a law firm with a substantial “government strategies” lobbying capability sidley.com/en/global/serv…. Their bench is very deep. They are very connected. 🧵3/ #mikelee #evanmcmullin

Sidley Austin has annual revenues nearing $3 billion and Mike Lee spent roughly three years working as an attorney there between 1999-2002 before returning to Utah as assistant US attorney.

This all seems unremarkable. At least on the surface... 🧵4/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Lee#…

AN INCONVENIENT INVASION: On February 25th 2022, Sidley Austin announced they would no longer represent VTB Group news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-p…, the 2nd largest banking conglomerate in Russia, as a lobbyist. 🧵5/ #mikelee #evanmcmullin

This announcement came one day after Russian launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a brutal attempt to overthrow the Ukrainian government in Kyiv, destroy its democracy and erase the very idea of Ukraine as a cultural polity distinct from Russia. 🧵6/#mikelee #evanmcmullin

Sanctions on Russia and its state-controlled institutions were inevitable. As such, the writing was on the wall for Sidley Austin’s lucrative relationship with VTB Group, whose interests they had represented since 2015. 🧵7/#mikelee #evanmcmullin brookings.edu/research/the-b…

VTB Group is a state-owned enterprise with direct ties to the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin. As of February 2022, 92.2% of VTB Group's shares were owned by Russian state agencies. 🧵8/#mikelee #evanmcmullin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTB_Bank#…

Also as of February 2022, VTB Group held 20% of all banking assets in Russia. 🧵9/#mikelee #evanmcmullin home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…..

VTB Group’s ties to the Kremlin extend beyond economic interests. Andrei Kostin, the Chairman of VTB Group and an oligarch in his own right, is a member of the Supreme Council of United Russia, Vladimir Putin’s political party. 🧵10/#mikelee #evanmcmullin eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…

When Russia took control of Crimea in 2014, VTB Group was sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Ukraine. In 2018, the United States sanctioned Andrei Kostin personally. 🧵11/#mikelee #evanmcmullin opensanctions.org/entities/Q4235…

Such sanctions led VTB Group to hire Sidley Austin in 2015 as a lobbyist to promote its interests in Washington DC. Here is the engagement letter: efile.fara.gov/docs/3731-Exhi… 🧵12/#mikelee #evanmcmullin

Their job was to provide "government strategies counsel and advice and lobbying directed toward the United States Congress and Administration on behalf of VTB Bank regarding the imposition of sanctions by the US government on Russian-affiliated banks." 🧵13/#mikelee #evanmcmullin

Pursuant to this engagement, Michael Borden, Partner at Sidley Austin, sought to introduce Andrei Kostin, VTB Group’s Chairman, to US government officials such as State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Kathleen Kavalec. 🧵14/#mikelee #evanmcmullin documentcloud.org/documents/4454…

While the full extent of Sidley Austin’s activities for VTB Group are unknown, Sidley Austin’s retainer fee alone was $40,000 per month. Continuous engagement thru Feb 2022 may have yielded up to $3.3 million in fees. 🧵15/#mikelee #evanmcmullin efile.fara.gov/docs/3731-Shor…

WHOSE SIDE IS MIKE LEE ON?
Given #MikeLee's track record regarding Russia, the optics of Mike Lee accepting political donations from Sidley Austin -- who was hired to lobby members of Congress on behalf of a Russian state-controlled banking group -- are horrible. 🧵16/#mikelee

Specifically, #MikeLee has:
–Voted against supporting Ukraine deseret.com/utah/2022/5/17…

–Voted against imposing sanctions on Russia archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id…

–Posited the loosening of Russian sanctions sltrib.com/news/politics/… 🧵17/#mikelee #evanmcmullin

#MikeLee is:
–One of the few members of Congress NOT blacklisted by Russia deseret.com/utah/2022/5/25…

–The only US Senator Russia recently allowed to enter politico.com/story/2019/09/… its territory

–The only Senate candidate in Utah accepting donations from a Russian lobbyist 🧵18/

Russia is not our ally and Utahns will not support a Senate candidate who thinks otherwise. Mike Lee should publicly refund Sidley Austin’s donation. If not, we will beg the question: “Mike Lee, just whose side are you on?”🧵19/#mikelee #evanmcmullin #utah #senate

Utah needs a US Senator who knows who our enemies are, has faced global threats and can work across the aisle when there is no time for bickering or political games. It's time for someone new. Vote for @EvanMcMullin. 🧵20/end #evanmcmullin #utah #senate evanmcmullin.com