Colorado’s Democratic U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper this week voted against sanctions on Russia intended to deter Vladimir Putin from marching 100,000 troops amassed on the Ukraine border into the Baltic State.
The measure would have slapped sanctions on businesses tied to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and give Congress the power to override any effort by President Biden to waive the sanctions, like he did last year to green light the pipeline project allowing Russia to move and sell gas to Germany.
The bill needed 60 votes to pass, but only six Democrats voted in favor of sanctions while Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against the bill, and the measure failed by a 55-44 vote.
There was bipartisan support for these sanctions, yet @MichaelBennet and @Hickenlooper inexplicably chose to stand with Putin. A disgrace. #copoliticshttps://t.co/Uz3M99ZdA9
— Kristi Burton Brown (@ColoradoKbb) January 14, 2022
GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown pointed out the bipartisan support for the sanctions, while criticizing Bennet and Hickenlooper for siding with Russia.
“It’s a disgrace that Senator Bennet and Senator Hickenlooper chose to stand with Vladimir Putin and Russia’s economic interests over both our own national security and economic future. While Democrats destroy our energy industry at home, they seem all too wiling to support the energy industries of our adversaries,” Brown said.
NEW: Statement from Colorado GOP Chairwoman @ColoradoKbb on @SenatorBennet and @Hickenlooper‘s decision to stand with Putin.
“While Democrats destroy our energy industry at home, they seem all too willing to support the energy industries of our adversaries.” #copolitics pic.twitter.com/jGlj7JyUWo
— The Colorado GOP (@cologop) January 14, 2022
PeakNation™ will recall our report last month on Bennet’s connections to Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
A major Democrat lobbyist firm representing some half dozen companies with financial stakes in the pipeline is a contributor to Bennet’s campaign.
McLarty Inbound, the foreign lobbying arm of Mack McLarty’s consulting firm, is representing five companies with financial stakes in the Nord Stream project.
McLarty, former President Clinton’s chief of staff, has donated himself this year to Schumer and Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Pat Leahy of Vermont and Chris Coons of Delaware.
Democrats including Bennet and Hick are trying to insulate themselves from criticism by signing onto a Democrat bill that would only apply sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine after the invasion.
So you can see how that is not much of a deterrent at all.
ThPutin’s blatant attempt to undermine Ukrainian democracy and sovereignty is unacceptable.@SenatorHick & I joined @SenatorMenendez and several colleagues to introduce legislation outlining consequences for any further aggression, including harsh sanctions.https://t.co/ABzJeUQAqH
— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet) January 13, 2022
The Ukraine government supported the bill Bennet and Hickenlooper voted against.
Also, the bill Bennet and Hick now support does not contain the clause that prohibits the president from willy nilly breaking the sanctions, like he did to support the Russian pipeline.
Bennet just reported raising $2 million in three months for his reelection bid this year. The media might want to take a look at those donors.