It isn’t just Democrats peddling Russia hysteria theatrics. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) joined that club yesterday when he lobbed criticism at colleague Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for blocking Montenegro’s inclusion into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization saying the Kentucky Senator is working for Vladimir Putin (via Politico):
Sen. John McCain on Wednesday accused fellow Sen. Rand Paul of doing Russian President Vladimir Putin's bidding after Paul blocked an attempt to vote on a treaty for NATO membership for Montenegro."The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin," McCain bluntly said of Paul on the Senate floor following the dust-up.
The Arizona Republican, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, was joined on the Senate floor by Democrats Ben Cardin of Maryland and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire to push for debate and a vote on the treaty. But Paul, who has opposed further expansion of NATO, objected to McCain's request to consider the measure.
[…]
If there is objection, you are achieving the objectives of Vladimir Putin," McCain said. "You are achieving the objectives of trying to dismember this small country, which has already been the subject of an attempted coup."
Yikes. So, once again the GOP has shot themselves in the foot since the Left can now say that it’s not just them that’s worried (some could argue paranoia) about the Russians. Also, it could rehash the Rule 19 fiasco with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was slapped with a Rule 19 violation. Rule 19 stipulates that no senator shall “directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator.” Warren was citing a local paper in her speech against Jeff Sessions’ AG nomination when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cited the rule, which ended her speech. She was barred from speaking for the remainder of Sessions’ nomination. It looked political. Everyone knows that—even the Democrats. Now, they really know it; McCain just accused Paul of being a pawn for Putin. Dear lord.