Created - by Susan -- 9-29-2019 JULY 29, 2019 | CLIP OF SENATE SESSION Senator McConnell Pushes Back Against Criticism After Blocking Election Security Bills Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell takes to the Senate floor to push back against criticism he has received after he blocked Democrats' efforts to bring up election security legislation in the wake of Robert Mueller's testimony warning of ongoing Russian interference. In particular, he singles out Dana Milbank of the Washington Post and Joe Scarborough of MSNBC. "I was called unpatriotic, un-American, and essentially treasonous by a couple of left-wing pundits on the basis of bold-faced lies...Welcome to modern-day McCarthyism," Senator McConnell says. He also praises Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats, who will be leaving his post in August. Video :: about 25 Minutes VIDEO SOURCE: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4810898/senator-mcconnell-pushes-back-criticism-blocking-election-security-bills&start=1468 TEXT SOURCE: https://www.congress.gov/116/crec/2019/07/29/modified/CREC-2019-07-29-pt1-PgS5121-7.htm - Following TEXT clip created by Susan - using "cut and paste" at URL : https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4810898/senator-mcconnell-pushes-back-criticism-blocking-election-security-bills&start=1468 JULY 29, 2019 | CLIP OF SENATE SESSION Senator McConnell Pushes Back Against Criticism After Blocking Election Security Bills Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell takes to the Senate floor to push back against criticism he has received after he blocked Democrats' efforts to bring up election security legislation in the wake of Robert Mueller's testimony warning of ongoing Russian interference. In particular, he singles out Dana Milbank of the Washington Post and Joe Scarborough of MSNBC. "I was called unpatriotic, un-American, and essentially treasonous by a couple of left-wing pundits on the basis of bold-faced lies...Welcome to modern-day McCarthyism," Senator McConnell says. He also praises Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats, who will be leaving his post in August. Mitch McConnell : I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALL MEMBERS BACK TO THE SENATE FOR A BUSY WEEK, BUT FIRST THERE IS SOMETHING I NEED TO ADDRESS. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS I WAS CALLED UNPATRIOTIC, UN-AMERICAN , AND ESSENTIALLY TREASONOUS BY A COUPLE OF LEFT-WING PUNDITS ON THE BASIS OF BOLD-FACED LIES. I WAS ACCUSED OF AIDING AND ABETTING THE VERY MAN I'VE SINGLED OUT AS AN ADVERSARY AND OPPOSED FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, VLADIMIR PUTIN. THIS WAS LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE OUTRAGE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX WAS DISAPPOINTED YET AGAIN BY SPECIAL COUNSEL MUELLER. PARTISAN DEMOCRATS AND THEIR MEDIA ALLIES WERE CRUSHED A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN MUELLER'S REPORT CLEARED THE PRESIDENT OF CONSPIRING WITH RUSSIA DURING THE 2016 CAMPAIGN. AND NOW THEIR FRANTIC HYPING OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY HAS FALLEN FLAT ONCE AGAIN. BUT THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND RECKLESS ACCUSATIONS HAD TO CONTINUE. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAD INVESTED TOO MUCH TIME IN THE HYSTERICAL ECHO CHAMBER TO SIMPLY WIND IT DOWN AND JOIN THE REST OF US IN THE REAL WORLD. THE OUTRAGE STORM SYSTEM COMPLEX NEEDED A NEW TARGET -- THE OUTRAGE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX NEEDED A NEW TARGET, AND THAT'S WHERE I COME IN. MITCH McCONNELL, THE HAWKISH FOREIGN POLICY CONSERVATIVE WHO SPENT DECADES PUSHING BACK ON RUSSIA EVERY WAY I CAN THINK OF WAS ACCUSED TO WHAT AMOUNTS TO TREASON BY MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS. THESE ABSURD SMEARS WEREN'T THROWN OUT THERE BY ANONYMOUS TWITTER ACCOUNTS OR FRINGE BLOGGERS. OH NO, THIS MODERN-DAY McCARTHYISM WAS PUSHED BY BIG-TIME OUTLETS. THE SMEAR THAT I AM, QUOTE, A RUSSIAN ASSET RAN IN THE OPINION PAGES OF "THE WASHINGTON POST." THE ACCUSATION THAT I AM, QUOTE, UN-AMERICAN WAS BROADCAST ON MSNBC. THIS IS THE STATE, MR. PRESIDENT, OF LEFT-WING POLITICS IN 2019. IT'S LIKE AN INFLATIONARY CRISIS BUT WITH OUTRAGE INSTEAD OF DOLLARS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE WORN OUT THE VOLUME KNOB SO BADLY THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT THE MOST UNHINGED SMEARS. WELCOME TO MODERN-DAY McCARTHYISM.McCARTHY LIKED TACTICS OUT IN THE OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. IN DANA MILBANK'S COLUMN IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND ON MSNBC, SO WHAT STARTED THIS? HERE IS MY CRIME, BLESS ME FOR I HAVE SINNED. HERE IT IS. LAST WEEK I STOPPED DEMOCRATS FROM PASSING AN ELECTION LAW BILL THROUGH THE SENATE BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, A BILL THAT WAS SO PARTISAN THAT IT ONLY RECEIVED ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE OVER IN THE HOUSE. MY DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS ASKED FOR UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO PASS A BILL THAT EVERYONE KNOWS ISN'T UNANIMOUS AND NEVER WILL BE UNANIMOUS. SO I OBJECTED. THESE THEATRICAL REQUESTS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME HERE IN THE SENATE. I PROMISED THAT NOBODY INVOLVED, INCLUDING MY FRIEND, THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER, WHO MADE THE REQUEST, ACTUALLY THOUGHT HE'D GET A REPUBLICAN SENATE TO INSTANTLY UNANIMOUSLY PASS A BILL THAT GOT ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE OVER IN THE HOUSE. THIS KIND OF OBJECTION IS A ROUTINE OCCURRENCE HERE IN THE SENATE. IT DOESN'T MAKE REPUBLICANS TRAITORS OR UN-AMERICAN. IT MAKES US POLICYMAKERS WITH A DIFFERENT OPINION. BUT THE OUTRAGE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX DOESN'T LET A LITTLE THING LIKE REALITY GET IN THEIR WAY. THEY SAW THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO DISTORT AND TELL LIES AND FUEL THE FLAMES OF PARTISAN HATRED, AND SO THEY DID. IT STARTED WITH THE ANGRY LIES ON MSNBC. THE HOST LIED AND SAID THAT I'VE DISMISSED RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN OUR 2016 ELECTION AS, QUOTE, A HOAX. OF COURSE I'VE NEVER SAID ANY SUCH THING, EVER. I'VE SPOKEN EXTENSIVELY AND OFTEN BY RUSSIA'S UNACCEPTABLE INTERFERENCE IN 2016. I'VE CONSTANTLY DISCUSSED ALL WE'VE BEEN DOING TO CORRECT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S FAILURES TO RESPOND MORE ASSERTIVELY TO THE RUSSIAN THREAT, INCLUDING ON ELECTION SECURITY. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME MAKE THIS CRYSTAL CLEAR FOR THE HYPERVENTILATING HACKS WHO HAVEN'T ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THIS ISSUE. EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE SENATE AGREES THAT RUSSIAN MEDDLING WAS REAL AND IS REAL. WE ALL AGREE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENTS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALL HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO TAKE THIS THREAT SERIOUSLY AND BOLSTER OUR DEFENSES. CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY, CLAIMS THAT ANYBODY HERE DENIES WHAT RUSSIA DID ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WASH -- WATCH ARE JUST LIES. NOT PARTISAN DISTORTION, NOT CLEVER SPIN. JUST TOTAL FABRICATIONS. NOW AT LEAST THIS SHOW IS HONEST ABOUT WHAT IT OFFERS AND IT ISN'T JOURNALISM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE HOST FINISHED HIS ANGRY STRING OF FALSE CLAIMS AND CALLED ME UN-AMERICAN, ANOTHER PANELIST SHINED IN TO APPLAUD THE REMARKS, AND HERE'S WHAT HE SAID, QUOTE, WE'RE AT WAR. IT'S TIME FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO WAKE UP, AND WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO PLAY FAIR. NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO PLAY FAIR. WELL, I SHOULD SAY NOT, MR. PRESIDENT. LET'S REMEMBER HOW DEEP MSNBC WADED INTO THE CONSPIRATORIAL FEVER SWAMP OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. THEY GAVE AIR TIME TO INDIVIDUALS LIKE ONE GUEST WHO HAS PUBLICLY TWEETED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT A FORMER WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR WAS CLOSE TO BEING EXECUTED FOR ESPIONAGE AND THAT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS HAD SENT THE MARSHAL OF THE SUPREME COURT TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO THREATEN THE PRESIDENT. UTTER NONSENSE. THEY HOSTED THESE KINDS OF CONSPIRATORIAL VOICES. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO ONE FORMER HOST AT THE NETWORK POINTED OUT, QUOTE, MSNBC BUILT SEGMENT AFTER SEGMENT, SHOW AFTER SHOW ON BUILDING ANTICIPATION FOR A BIG REVEAL. BUT THEN THE MUELLER REPORT TOOK SOME OF THEIR MOST UNHINGED STORIES RIGHT OFF THE TABLE. AND THEN JUST LAST WEEK A SPECIAL COUNSEL'S IN-PERSON TESTIMONY DISAPPOINTED THE POLITICAL LEFT YET AGAIN. SO THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES NEEDED A NEW TARGET. A FEW HOURS LATER CAME "THE WASHINGTON POST" COLUMN. IT WAS AUTHORED BY DANA MILBANK, A PUNDIT WHO SPENT MUCH OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CARRYING WATER FOR ITS FAILED FOREIGN POLICIES AND EXCUSING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WEAKNESS ON RUSSIA. HERE'S THE HEADLINE -- MITCH McCONNELL IS A RUSSIAN ASSET. A SHAMEFUL SMEAR, AND BASED ON MORE LIES. MR. MILBANK REPEATEDLY CLAIMS THAT I BLOCKED ALL EFFORTS TO RAISE OUR DEFENSES AGAINST RUSSIAN MEDDLING. THE TRUTH IS THAT I'VE CHAMPIONED THE COORDINATED WORK BETWEEN CONGRESS, THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THE STATES WHICH ARE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ELECTIONS. AND THE SENATE HAS PASSED SEVERAL MAJOR PROVISIONS ON THIS SUBJECT THIS YEAR. AND I'VE SPOKEN FREQUENTLY ON THE FLOOR ABOUT THE NEED TO KEEP UP THE PROGRESS AND TO STAY VIGILANT. WHAT'S MORE, ONE OF THE SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION HE CLAIMS I HAVE BLOCKED IS SOMETHING I LITERALLY HAVE NEVER OPPOSED. HIS ONLINE COLUMN LINKS DIRECTLY TO A BILL, AND IT'S SOMETHING I'VE NEVER OPPOSED. YOU'D THINK A COLUMNIST LEVELING THESE KINDS OF SMEARS WOULD AT LEAST CONSULT A FACT-CHECKER BEFORE ACCUSING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OF AIDING AND ABETTING VLADIMIR PUTIN. BUT ALAS, IT'S NOT EVEN A COMPETENT HIT PIECE. JUST SLOPPY WORK. NOW IRONICALLY MR. MILBANK HAS FREQUENTLY WRITTEN PIECES LECTURING REPUBLICANS WHO HE FEELS HAVE IMPUGNED OTHERS' PATRIOTISM. BACK IN 2013, THE SAME GUY WROTE A PIECE INSISTING THAT, QUOTE, IN AMERICA, A POLITICAL OPPONENT ?OPT -- OPPONENT IS NOT THE ENEMY. IN 2015, HE CRITICIZED NUTTERS FOR QUESTIONING THE PRESIDENT'S PATRIOTISM AND SAID SUCH BEYOND THE PALE RHETORIC HAD TO BE THROWN OUT TO CRITICIZE DEBATE. THEY BECOME CHOIRBOYS CALLING FOR CIVILITY AND DECENCY AND HIGH-MINDEDNESS BUT WHEN IT'S TIME TO SMEAR SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE, THEY'RE DELIGHTED TO LEAD THE CHARGE. AS RECENTLY AS 2017, THIS VERY COLUMNIST WROTE, QUOTE, LET'S PAUSE TO REMEMBER WE'RE ALL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND WE ALL LOVE OUR COUNTRY, END QUOTE. AS ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES KNOW, I'VE SPOKEN AT LENGTH ABOUT RUSSIA'S ATTACK ON AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. I WORKED TO ENSURE CONGRESS SENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE STATES TO IMPROVE THEIR DEFENSES AND APPLAUDED THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT EFFORT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO CARRY OUT WITH STATES AND LOCALITIES. IT MAY NOT SELL ANY NEWSPAPERS, BOOST RATINGS, OR HELP WITH DEMOCRATIC FUNDRAISING, BUT THE FACTS ARE THE FACTS. AND THE FACTS ARE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION'S MADE HUGE STRIDES, HUGE ON ELECTION SECURITY SINCE 2016. THEY HAVE MADE A NOTICEABLE IMPACT IN SECURING THE 2018 ELECTION AND ARE VIGILANT AND PROACTIVE AS WE HEAD INTO 2020. A FEW WEEKS AGO, EVERY SENATOR HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING THAT I HELPED ORGANIZE DETAILING MAJOR WORK THAT HAS BEEN UNDER WAY SINCE 2016. I HAVE BEEN IN A LOT OF CLASSIFIED BRIEFINGS OVER THE YEARS. IT'S NOT EXACTLY COMMON FOR MEMBERS TO BREAK OUT IN SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE, LET ALONE BIPARTISAN APPLAUSE, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.IN THAT CLASSIFIED BRIEFING. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, DEMOCRATS JOINED REPUBLICANS IN APPLAUDING THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE 2016. THIS ADMINISTRATION, THANKS IN LARGE PART TO OUR FRIEND AND FORMER COLLEAGUE, DAN COATS, WHO I WAS VERY SORRY TO HEAR IS STEPPING DOWN, HAS INCREASED AND IMPROVED OUR INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION ON THESE THREATS. IT HAS BUILT BETTER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STATE ELECTION AUTHORITIES. IT HAS ENLISTED MORE HELP FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO IDENTIFY AND COUNTER FOREIGN INFLUENCE CAMPAIGNS. IT HAS WORKED MORE CLOSELY WITH FOREIGN ALLIES AND PARTNERS WHO FACE SIMILAR THREATS FROM RUSSIA. IT HAS IMPOSED REAL COSTS ON RUSSIA FOR ITS MISDEEDS AND CUT DOWN ON THE ABILITY OF RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE TO OPERATE INSIDE OUR COUNTRY. IN PARTICULAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS DEPLOYED SPECIAL CAPABILITIES IN ALL 50 STATES FOR DETECTING MALIGNED CYBER ACTIVITY. IT'S DEPLOYED CYBERSECURITY ADVISORS ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. IT OPERATES A NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY AND COMMUNICATIONS INTEGRATION CENTER AND SUPPORTS AN ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMATION SHARING AND ANALYSIS CENTER. AMONG ITS MANY OFFERINGS TO THE STATES, D.H.S. OFFERS CYBERSECURITY ASSESSMENTS, DETECTION, AND PREVENTION TOOLS, TRAINING, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR ELECTION OFFICIALS, ALL FREE OF CHARGE. AND USING THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS CONGRESS SENT TO THE STATES, WHICH I PROUDLY VOTED FOR AND SUPPORTED, THE AUTHORITIES WHO ACTUALLY CONDUCT OUR ELECTIONS ON THE FRONT LINES HAVE GOTTEN THEMSELVES BETTER PREPARED. THIS IS A LONG LIST OF SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS, ACHIEVEMENTS THAT MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES APPLAUDED AND CHEERED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION BRIEFED US A FEW WEEKS AGO. BUT IN PUBLIC? IN PUBLIC? IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS? SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES QUICKLY PIVOTED RIGHT BACK INTO HYSTERICAL ACCUSATIONS THAT ONLY FAN THE FLAMES OF THIS MODERN-DAY McCARTHYISM. THESE PUNDITS ARE LYING, LYING WHEN THEY DISMISS THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. THEY'RE LYING WHEN THEY INSIST I HAVE PERSONALLY BLOCKED ACTIONS WHICH, IN FACT, I HAVE CHAMPIONED AND THE SENATE HAS PASSED. THEY ARE LYING WHEN THEY SUGGEST THAT EITHER PARTY IS AGAINST DEFENDING OUR DEMOCRACY. THIS WORK IS ESSENTIAL, AND IT WILL CONTINUE. OVER TWO YEARS AGO, I ASKED CHAIRMAN BURR AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF THE RUSSIAN THREAT IN 2016 AND THE STEPS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TOOK OR FAILED TO TAKE TO DEFEND AGAINST IT. IT WAS A HEADLINE, DECEMBER, 2016, FROM MSNBC, McCONNELL BACKS SENATE INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN HACKING. WE WANTED A SERIOUS, DETAILED INVESTIGATION, NOT A POLITICAL SIDE SHOW. I'M IMPRESSED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE NONPARTISAN WORK OF THE COMMITTEE STAFF UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHAIRMAN BURR AND VICE CHAIRMAN WARNER. THE COMMITTEE'S REPORTS ON THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE THREAT ARE NOW BEING RELEASED. THEY WILL ADD VITAL CONTEXT AND ANALYSIS AND INFORM WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS ONGOING THREAT. I'M SURE ALL OF US WILL BE OPEN TO DISCUSSING FURTHER STEPS CONGRESS, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE STATES, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR MIGHT TAKE TO DEFEND OUR ELECTIONS AGAINST FOREIGN INTERFERENCE. ANY FURTHER LEGISLATION MUST BE INFORMED BY THIS DETAILED REPORT AND BY ALL THE STEPS TO GOVERNMENT -- THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY TAKEN. ALREADY TAKEN. AT THE SAME TIME, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT I HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST DEMOCRATS' EFFORTS TO SEIZE ON THE CRISIS AND USE IT TO ADVANCE THEIR OTHER LONG-HELD PARTISAN GOALS FOR THE POLITICAL PROCESS. SOME OF THESE CHANGES THEY HAVE SOUGHT SINCE LONG BEFORE THE 2016 MEDDLING, LONG BEFORE IT. SO NO, I'M NOT GOING TO LET DEMOCRATS AND THEIR WATER CARRIERS IN THE MEDIA USE RUSSIA'S ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY AS A TROJAN HORSE FOR PARTISAN WISH LIST ITEMS THAT WOULD NOT ACTUALLY MAKE OUR ELECTIONS ANY SAFER. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. MY OPPOSITION TO NATIONALIZING ELECTION AUTHORITIES THAT PROPERLY BELONG WITH THE STATES IS NOT NEWS TO ANYBODY WHO HAS FOLLOWED MY CAREER OR KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT CONGRESS. EVEN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" EDITORIAL BOARD NOTED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT WHILE THEY CERTAINLY DON'T AGREE WITH ALL MY VIEWS, THEY ARE PRINCIPLES GOING BACK DECADES. AND THE "TIMES" HAD TO ADMIT THE DEMOCRATS ARE, QUOTE, PLAYING POLITICS, END QUOTE, BY INTRODUCING LEGISLATION WITH -- LISTEN TO THIS -- NO CHANCE OF PASSING THE SENATE THAT SERVES ONLY TO HARDEN PARTISAN DIVISIONS. THAT'S "THE NEW YORK TIMES" THIS WEEKEND. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, MY DIFFERENCES WITH DEMOCRATS ON COMPLICATED MATTERS OF ELECTION LAW ARE THE KIND OF DISAGREEMENTS WE USED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE WITHOUT MAINSTREAM MEDIA OUTLETS SCREAMING THAT ONE SIDE IS TRAITOROUS. THIS CONGRESS, THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY ONLY WORKS WHEN WE REFUSE TO LET BASELESS SMEARS DISPLACE REAL DEBATE. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SAID WE HAVE THIS REPUBLIC IF WE CAN KEEP IT, AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, KEEPING OUR REPUBLIC MEANS WE CAN'T LET MODERN-DAY McCARTHYISM WIN. SO HERE IS MY COMMITMENT. NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY LIE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY BULLY, I WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED. FOR DECADES, I HAVE USED MY SENATE SEAT TO STAND UP TO RUSSIA AND PROTECT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I'M PROUD OF MY EFFORT. I'M PROUD THAT IT'S RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE, AND LIARS CANNOT GASLIGHT IT AWAY. IN THE 1980'S, AS A FRESHMAN SENATOR, I PROUDLY STOOD WITH PRESIDENT REAGAN ON MISSILE DEFENSE AND OTHER ASPECTS OF HIS SOVIET POLICY. WHILE THE LIBERAL MEDIA WAS SHREIKING, THAT REAGAN-BUSH FOREIGN POLICY WOULDN'T WORK, I WAS HONORED TO GIVE MY VOTE AND WATCH COMMUNISM CRUMBLE. IN THE 1990'S, I USED MY PLACE ON THE STATE FOREIGN OPS SUBCOMMITTEE TO SOUND THE ALARM WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS TOO SOFT ON RUSSIA. HERE'S "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" DECEMBER, 1994. KENTUCKY SENATOR HANDED KEYS TO FOREIGN AID TO BE THE MOST POTENT FOE OF CLINTON'S RUSSIA POLICY. HERE'S WHAT THAT ARTICLE SAID. THE REAL CHALLENGE TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY IS McCONNELL'S PLAN TO ATTACH STIFF POLITICAL CONDITIONS TO THAT AID, THREATENING A CUTOFF UNLESS RUSSIA STOPS MEDDLING IN ITS NEIGHBORS' AFFAIRS. SO LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. AS EARLY AS THE 1990'S, I WAS ON RECORD AS LASER-FOCUSED ON RUSSIA'S MEDDLING BEYOND ITS BORDERS AND MAKING SURE THE RUSSIANS WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK CONSENT THIS ARTICLE BE PLACED IN THE RECORD. WITHOUT OBJECTION. ends 19:52 Mitch McConnell ON THE OTHER END OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, I USED HEARINGS TO GRILL DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS WHO WERE SOFT ON PRESIDENT YELTSIN AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT PUTIN. I DIDN'T SHARE DEMOCRATS' FAITH THAT PUTIN WOULD BE OUR FRIEND. I ASK CONSENT THAT TWO EXCERPTS OF MY COMMITTEE STATEMENT FROM APRIL 4, 2,000, CALLING FOR A TOUGHER STANCE ON RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MEDDLING AND EXPRESSING SKEPTICISM ABOUT PUTIN -- VLADIMIR PUTIN APPEAR AT THIS POINT. Show Less Text Mitch McConnell REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THE POLITICAL WINDS WERE BLOWING, I HAVE CONSISTENTLY TREATED RUSSIA LIKE THE THREAT THAT IT IS. EVEN UNDER A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION, I SPOKE OUT WHEN I WAS AFRAID THE U.S. WASN'T DOING ENOUGH TO STOP THE EROSION OF DEMOCRACY AND RULE OF LAW IN RUSSIA. A CONFERENCE REPORT THAT I CO-AUTHORED IN DECEMBER, 2003, STATED THE MANAGERS REMAIN GRAVELY CONCERNED WITH THE DETERIORATION AND SYSTEMATIC DISMANTLING OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW IN RUSSIA. WE PUSH PRESIDENT BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION, A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION TO DO MORE. AND OF COURSE I HELPED LEAD THE CHARGE AGAINST THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S COMPLETELY FECKLESS RUSSIA POLICIES. PRESIDENT OBAMA MOCKED HIS 2012 OPPONENT FOR TAKING RUSSIA TOO SERIOUSLY. HIS ADMINISTRATION SOUGHT A NAIVE RESET WITH THE CALENDAR NUMBER, AND FOR -- WITH THE KREMLIN, AND FOR EIGHT YEARS, I HELPED LEAD THE CHARGE WITH THAT WEAKNESS. IN 2010, I STOOD WITH JOHN McCAIN AND JON KYL TO OPPOSE THE NEW START TREATY, A WATERED DOWN PLACE HOLDER FOR THE TOUGH STANCE WE KNEW WAS NECESSARY. AS VLADIMIR PUTIN WAS BUILDING UP HIS MISSILE ARSENAL, WE EVEN HAD TO PUSH PRESIDENT OBAMA TO COMMIT TO DEPLOYING CAPABLE MISSILE DEFENSES TO EUROPE. IN 2012, I SUPPORTED SWEEPING LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE HEAVY SANCTIONS FOLLOWING THE KILLING OF SERGEI MAGNITSKY IN A RUSSIAN PRISON. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FLINCHED AND TRIED TO TIPTOE AROUND OUR LEGISLATION TO AVOID MESSING UP THEIR CHARM OFFENSIVE, BUT WE BACKED THEM INTO A CORNER AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW. IN 2014, I AND OTHER REPUBLICANS CONSTANTLY PRESSED PRESIDENT OBAMA TO GET TOUGHER ON RUSSIA WITH RESPECT TO PUTIN'S AGGRESSION IN UKRAINE. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK CONSENT THAT THE NEWS ARTICLE DATED MARCH 4, 2014, ENTITLED McCONNELL, OBAMA'S PASSIVE FOREIGN POLICY IS A MISTAKE, APPEAR IN THE RECORD. Show Less Text Mitch McConnell AND SINCE 2017, I HAVE CONTINUED REMINDING EVERYONE THAT PUTIN IS NOT OUR FRIEND, THAT RUSSIA IS GOING TO CONTINUE TRYING TO MEDDLE, THAT WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO CONTEST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, THAT ALLIANCES LIKE NATO ARE CRITICAL FOR STANDING UP TO OUR ADVERSARIES. SO ONCE MORE, FOR GOOD MEASURE, MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE NEWS ARTICLE DATED AUGUST 15, 2018, ENTITLED U.S. SENATE TOP REPUBLICAN LIKENS RUSSIA TO OLD SOVIET UNION, BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Mitch McConnell SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I DON'T NORMALLY TAKE THE TIME TO RESPOND TO CRITICS IN THE MEDIA WHEN THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THIS MODERN-DAY McCARTHYISM ISTOXIC AND DAMAGING BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WARPS OUR ENTIRE PUBLIC DISCOURSE. FACTS MATTER. DETAILS MATTER. HISTORY MATTERS. AND IF OUR NATION IS LOSING ITS ABILITY TO DEBATE PUBLIC POLICY WITHOUT SCREAMING ABOUT TREASON, THAT REALLY MATTERS. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 20thCENTURY, THE ORIGINAL McCARTHYISM HURT AMERICA'S STRENGTH AND DIMINISHED OUR STANDING IN A COLD WAR BY DIVIDING US AGAINST OURSELVES AND LETTING LIVES, INNUENDO, AND BASELESS ACCUSATIONS CROWD OUT SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/mitch-mcconnell-foreign-policy-105031 https://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/obama-foreign-policy-gop-senators-policy-attack-108062 https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-06-22/the-obama-mcconnell-relationship-demonstrates-washington-gridlock https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/11/06/five-republicans-who-will-dominate-on-foreign-policy-in-the-next-congress/ US Senate likens Russia to old Soviet Union < Google https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2018/08/15/us-senates-top-republican-likens-russia-to-old-soviet-union/ "modern day McCarthyism" McConnell :: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcconnell-says-moscow-mitch-nickname-is-modern-day-mccarthyism/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-vows-to-be-the-grim-reaper-to-thwart-all-democratic-proposals/ " ... Think of me as the Grim Reaper": McConnell vows to thwart Democratic proposals BY CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ :: APRIL 22, 2019 / 5:37 PM / CBS NEWS Deriding the "Green New Deal" and "Medicare for All," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to be Congress' "grim reaper" and thwart all progressive proposals on the Senate floor. "If I'm still the majority leader of the Senate after next year, none of those things are going to pass the Senate," the Kentucky Republican told a small crowd during an event in his home state Monday. "They won't even be voted on. So think of me as the Grim Reaper: the guy who is going to make sure that socialism doesn't land on the president's desk. ... Before referring to himself as the personification of death, McConnell, the White House's most powerful ally on Capitol Hill, accused Democrats in Congress and those running for president of endorsing a fringe, far-left agenda that will imperil the American economy. "You pass the Green New Deal and Medicare for All, you have fundamentally changed this country, fundamentally changed it into an unproductive place with significant unemployment and huge problems," McConnell said, noting that some of his colleagues in the Senate who are running for president, like Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, have vouched their support for both proposals. McConnell said progressive platforms are being touted by most mainstream Democrats, not just "some young woman from New York who just got elected to Congress," presumably referring to freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx. "It's much broader than that," McConnell said. Alan He contributed to this report. :: First published on April 22, 2019 / 5:37 PM © 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.