Trump-Putin Press Conference Slammed By IL Members Of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of Congress representing the North Shore were harshly critical of President Donald Trump's press conference following his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin Monday in Helsinki. Putin repeated his assertion that the Russian Federation has "never interfered" in American internal affairs, including its election. The claim is contradicted by the assessments of U.S. intelligence agencies, but Trump said the Russian denied involvement to him personally as well.

“All I can do is ask the question – my people came to me, [Director of National Intelligence] Dan Coats came to me and some others, they said they think it’s Russia,” Trump said. “I have President Putin he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this, I don’t see any reason why it would be but I really want to see the server but, I have confidence in both parties.”

Coats issued a statement saying the U.S. intelligence community has been "clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of national security."

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) issued a statement calling on GOP members of Congress to condemn Trump.

“Today President Trump had the opportunity to confront Vladimir Putin about Russia’s systematic and deliberate attack on our democracy. With the world watching, he could have once and for all stood up for our country, declared that Americans’ sacred right to vote will be protected, and made clear that foreign powers will be held accountable for meddling in our elections. Instead, President Trump bloviated his way through a press conference where he repeatedly praised Vladimir Putin and denied what the American intelligence community has repeatedly confirmed: that Putin’s Russia interfered in our 2016 Presidential election, that they sought to undermine our democracy, and that they plan on attacking us again.

“The President of the United States today publicly denigrated the U.S. intelligence community while praising one of the most adversarial foreign leaders in the world. This goes beyond incompetence and it borders on treason. When our very democracy is being threatened, patriotic Republicans in Congress must no longer keep silent. They must put their love of our country above their fear of the President and join Democrats in declaring that Donald Trump is not fit to serve.”

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) released the following statement:

“By accepting Vladimir Putin’s transparent denials of Russia’s interference in our 2016 election, President Trump today chose to side with a foreign dictator over our own intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The President’s comments are particularly outrageous coming just days after Special Counsel Mueller indicted 12 Russian operatives for election meddling, including reportedly targeting our State Board of Elections in Illinois.

“In addition, President Trump ignored or downplayed Russia’s reprehensible international behavior, including its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria, illegal occupation of Crimea, and ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine. Over the course of his European trip, President Trump was harsher to our NATO allies than to Vladimir Putin.

“Protecting our elections and holding Russia accountable must not be partisan issues. I urge my Republican colleagues to join with Democrats and speak out against President Trump’s shameful display and demand action to protect our elections. Silence will only further embolden Putin’s aggression.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Hoffman Estates) also decried the event:

It is difficult to overstate the damage done by Donald Trump’s shocking and disgraceful show of weakness on the world stage. The strong global alliances and global belief in American leadership that Donald Trump has taken just days to tear down over the last week will take generations to rebuild. This is a man who wants to work closely with our fiercest adversaries and believes our allies in the European Union are our foes, but refuses to believe the consensus of his entire intelligence community about Russian interference in the election and its continued threat. Just days after the indictments of 12 Russian military officials for their attacks on our country during the 2016 election, Trump is not only willing to let Vladimir Putin off the hook, he actually holds America responsible for allowing the attacks to happen.

When given the chance to condemn Russia’s actions, Donald Trump refused again and again. He instead suggested a false moral equivalence between America and Russia, a nation that invaded and annexed a portion of a sovereign country against international law, shot down flight MH17 killing nearly 300 innocent souls and interfered in America’s elections as well as those of our allies. Russia poisons innocent civilians around the globe and props up a brutal dictator who gasses his own people in Syria. Donald Trump is wrong. There can be no moral equivalence drawn between the United States of America and Putin’s Russia.

Today’s events are yet another example of Donald Trump’s feckless "leadership" on the world stage. Republicans in Congress cannot continue to turn a blind eye towards the very real possibility that Vladimir Putin has compromised our Commander-in-Chief and turned him, perhaps without his knowledge, into a Russian asset.

Senior Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Springfield) released the following statement:

President Trump’s performance in Helsinki was appalling. By ignoring the evidence of Russian interference in our 2016 election, President Trump joined Vladimir Putin in blaming America for the charges and throwing our intelligence and justice officials under the bus.

The President’s non-stop preening over his 2016 election victory shows clearly that his ego is more important to him than standing up for America. What part of the seizing of Crimea, shooting down a Malaysian aircraft, invading Ukraine, nerve agent attack in England, threats to Poland and the Baltics, and attacking the U.S. election process makes Vladimir Putin such a loveable rascal in the eyes of Donald Trump?

President Trump – the self-proclaimed ‘great deal maker’ – growls at our allies and licks the hand of a Russian tyrant. Question to Republican leaders: Will you stand with John McCain’s clear condemnation of President Trump’s Helsinki performance?

One Illinois Republican, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon), tweeted criticism of Trump without mentioning the president's name:

The American people deserve the truth, & to disregard the legitimacy of our intelligence officials is a disservice to the men & women who serve this country. It’s time to wake up & face reality. #Putin is not our friend; he’s an enemy to our freedom.

The 16th District Republican later responded directly to Trump on Twitter:

They are OUR intelligence people, and this tactic only leads to a brighter future for #Putin and his Cronies. Mr. President, you need to retract the whole #Helsinki press conference, and reassess your view of allies and enemies. https://t.co/Mu2arECzRu
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) July 16, 2018

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