After Putin blames Jews, Democrats implore Trump to extradite Russians
committees, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. WASHINGTON — Top DemoThe Democrats’ letter cratic leaders in the House effectively came in response and Senate implored Presito comments by President dent Donald Trump on MonVladimir Putin of Russia, who day to employ “all resources told NBC News in an inter- available” to extradite 13 Rusview that aired in recent days sians charged last month that he “couldn’t care less” with subverting the 2016 if Russians had attempted to presidential election after meddle in the election and Russia’s president blamed said he would never extraJews and other minorities dite those charged to the for the attack. United States to stand trial.
“Ensuring these Russian “Maybe they are not even nationals stand trial in the Russians, but Ukrainians, United States is imperative Tatars or Jews, but with Rusfor deterring Russia from sian citizenship,” he said. future attacks on our democ- “Even that needs to be racy and would be a signal checked. Maybe they have to those who seek to med- dual citizenship. Or maybe a dle with our election that green card. Maybe it was the such actions are not without Americans who paid them consequences,” wrote Sen. for this work. How do you Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the know? I don’t know either.” top Democrat in his chamThe Democratic lead- ber, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, ers said that “While Putin’s D-Calif., the top Democrat stance is not surprising, it is in the House. also simply unacceptable.”
They were joined by the The letter goes on to outtop Democrats on the cham- line several steps that the Jusbers’ respective judiciary tice and State departments
Nicholas Fandos could take to try to force their extradition, such as pressing Interpol to issue what is effectively an inter- national arrest warrant and using existing diplomatic channels, including raising the issue directly with Putin.
An Interpol notice “can severely restrict a fugitive’s ability to live and travel overseas,” they wrote.
The Justice Department charged the 13 Russians, along with three Russian companies, in February for their roles in carrying out a complex and well-funded campaign to use the social media feeds of Americans to sow discord in the U.S. political process and aid Trump’s candidacy. Court papers signed by Robert Mueller, the special counsel conducting the investigation, laid out the scheme in vivid detail and included messages exchanged by the conspirators.
The indictment of the Russian nationals does not directly say that the Russian government sponsored the election interference campaign, but top U.S. intelli- gence officials have publicly said that Putin directed and oversaw it.
Putin flatly denied that conclusion in his interview with NBC. “Why have you decided the Russian authorities, myself included, gave anybody permission to do this?” he asked.
The issue is a fraught one for Trump. He has repeatedly called Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt” and views U.S. conclusions about Russian meddling as a threat to his legitimacy as president. Democrats and some Repub- licans have blasted him for not responding to the Russian effort more aggressively.
Trump said last year that Putin had assured him the Russians did not interfere in the campaign. “I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it,” Trump said at the time.