Bergen Politicians Want 'Absolute Punishment' For Putin

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Bergen County Democrats said the United States must take a hard line on Russia and president Vladimir Putin after this week's invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ-09), Albio Sires (D-NJ-08) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) have both called for Russia to be banished from international banking systems, such as SWIFT.

"Shutting down Putin’s access to assets in the United States and sanctioning Russia’s major banks are important first steps in responding to Russia's aggression and invasion of Ukraine," Gottheimer said Friday morningon his Facebook page. "China, Iran, and dictators around the world are watching how we respond, and we must stand strong with our democratic allies against this horrifying invasion."

Pascrell said Putin's leadership "must feel acute pain" for "their crimes and the horrors they are causing."

"Seize their estates. Impound their yachts. Auction their possessions. Topple their stock market. Embargo their fuel. Kick their kids out of our colleges. Vladimir Putin may be one of the richest man on earth with billions he has looted from his people: grab every penny of it that can be grabbed," Pascrell said in an emailed statement.

Related: 'Stop Putin': NYC Protests Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

Sires, in his statement, said the U.S must continue to go further in its response.

"As the world watched in horror, Putin’s orders led directly to the loss of innocent life in his seemingly endless quest for power," Sires said. "We are witnessing the continuation of the invasion of Crimea which resulted in Russia being removed from the Group of Eight (G-8) in 2014."