Lindsey Graham and Chuck Schumer ask President Obama to consider a new site for the G20 in Russia
Edward Snowden hiding out in Russia has really drawn the ire of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). First it was a call to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, in which Graham stood alone on.
Now Graham has found a partner in Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to try to get the Russian government to turn over NSA whistleblower, Edward Snowden to the United States, but it’s not an Olympic boycott.
Instead, the pair from the immigration bill’s “Gang of Eight” have introduced a bipartisan resolution to attempt to influence the Russians.
If Russia continues to shelter Snowden, the Senators encourage President Obama to give consideration to recommending an alternate location for the September G20 summit scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Graham-Schumer resolution states:
• The Russian Federation’s continued willingness to provide shelter to Edward Snowden is negatively impacting the US-Russia relationship.
• Russia should immediately turn Edward Snowden over to the appropriate United States authorities so he can stand trial in the United States;
• President Obama should consider other options, including recommending a different location for the September 2013 G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, should Russia continue to allow shelter for Mr. Snowden.
“On multiple fronts, Russia is becoming one of the bad actors in the world,” said Graham. “Russia continues to provide cover to the Iranian nuclear program and sell sophisticated weapons to the Assad regime in Syria to butcher tens of thousands of its own citizens. For Russia to grant temporary asylum to Mr. Snowden on top of all this would do serious damage to our relationship. It is past time we send a strong message to President Putin about Russia’s actions and this resolution will help accomplish that goal.”
“Time and time again. President Putin is too eager to stick a finger in the eye of the United States – whether it is arming the murderous Assad regime in Syria, supporting Iran’s nuclear development or now providing shelter and Russian state protection to Edward Snowden,” said Schumer. “Enough is enough. It’s time to send a crystal clear message to President Putin about Russia’s deplorable behavior, and this resolution will do just that.”
Snowden has been holed up in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport since June 23.
[…] Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has already proposed boycotting the 2014 Olympics in Russia and to consider a new site for the G20 summit scheduled in St. Petersburg, over the possibility of Russia granting temporary asylum for […]
[…] over NSA whistleblower, has previously suggested boycotting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia and moving the G20 summit, also scheduled in Russia this […]