A model of this story appeared in CNN’s What Issues e-newsletter. To get it in your inbox, join free here.
CNN
—
There’s a main disconnect between two CNN tales on Wednesday about Russia and the US.
► First, read this report from CNN’s Sean Lyngaas a couple of hacking group with ties to the Russian authorities which may be liable for a cyberattack on a Texas water facility, considered one of a number of attainable assaults on US water services about which the federal authorities has warned.
Key line: “…whether it is confirmed that the (Russian intelligence service) GRU or considered one of its proxies was concerned, this might mark an escalation in focusing on US essential infrastructure for a Russian group typically identified for specializing in Ukraine.”
► Then, read the latest from CNN’s Capitol Hill team on the long-stalled effort to offer further army assist to Ukraine in its warfare to repel Russia’s invasion. GOP Home Speaker Mike Johnson might lastly be primed to defy the appropriate wing of his celebration and permit a bipartisan majority to bless the help six months after it was requested by the White House.
Key line: “Conservative hardliners have been rapidly fuming at Johnson for his determination to maneuver forward with billions of {dollars} in assist to Ukraine and loudly warning him it might value him his job.”
What’s clear from the water facility hack is that Russia continues to meddle within the US, both by attacking infrastructure or meddling in elections.
What’s clear from the Ukraine funding story is {that a} very small minority of lawmakers, with assist from right-wing media, doesn’t view Russia as a lot of a risk.
Whereas it’s largely Republicans who oppose further funding for Ukraine, they’re nonetheless a minority, even inside their very own celebration. In February, 22 Republicans in the Senate joined all however three Democrats to kind a 70-vote majority in favor of the funding. It’s honest to suppose an analogous bipartisan majority would help Ukraine funding within the Home’s newest international assist package deal unveiled on Wednesday.
“We’re the best nation on the planet and we’ve to behave prefer it,” Johnson informed CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview on “The Lead” on Wednesday. He defended his plan, promised a future invoice would handle the Republican precedence of border safety and argued that the overwhelming majority of $60 billion in Ukraine assist would go to US protection contractors.
“The accountability for the free world has been shifted onto our shoulders,” he mentioned, including US troops wouldn’t be dedicated in Ukraine. “We’re not the world’s policeman.”
Not all Republicans are shopping for the pitch, and the divide throughout the GOP over Ukraine is getting extra heated, which is jeopardizing Johnson’s capacity to steer. CNN’s Capitol Hill group studies that some potential Johnson rivals are quietly positioning themselves in case there may be one more ousted speaker.
Johnson’s Republican critics, in the meantime, are getting louder.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz described Johnson’s technique, an advanced four-part parliamentary gambit to tie assist for Ukraine with assist for Israel, Taiwan and the US border, as “give up.”
Texas Rep. Chip Roy didn’t decide to voting to oust Johnson however mentioned he’s “previous the purpose of giving grace” to the still-new speaker.
They usually aren’t even the 2 Republicans who’ve already mentioned they might quickly vote to finish Johnson’s speakership, though it’s not clear when.
The primary who’s already on the document is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who described Ukraine as “the one nation that for some bizarre, sick and evil purpose that they care about.” She was referring to Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin, who has raised the alarm about the specter of Russia to the remainder of the world if Ukraine falls.
The opposite Republican already publicly in favor of ousting Johnson is Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. He praised Tucker Carlson for that softball interview the previous Fox Information host performed with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this yr. That’s the interview CNN’s media group described as a “propaganda victory” for Putin.
Johnson might need assistance from reasonable Democrats to fend off the trouble to oust him, and some Democrats have mentioned they might break custom and cross celebration strains to help him. It’s not clear if Johnson would need the assistance, since celebration loyalty is prized within the GOP.
The Russia divide is clearly testing that loyalty. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican from Wyoming, who was ousted for her opposition to former President Donald Trump, has referred to the “Putin wing” of the GOP as a risk to the US.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney sees a “Putin wing” within the GOP.
Rep. Michael McCaul, the Texas Republican who chairs the Home International Affairs Committee, informed Puck Information this month that Russian propaganda has “contaminated a great chunk of my celebration’s base,” threatening the Ukraine assist.
Requested about that propaganda remark by Tapper earlier this month, Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, who chairs the Home Intelligence Committee, agreed.
“Oh, it’s completely true,” he mentioned.
Republican lawmaker says Russian propaganda has ‘contaminated a great chunk’ of GOP base
“To the extent that this propaganda takes maintain, it makes it harder for us to actually see this as an authoritarian-versus-democracy battle, which is what it’s,” Turner mentioned.
Greene, who former Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado described as “Moscow Marjorie” throughout one latest CNN interview, has mentioned on conservative media retailers that she is not concerned that Putin’s aggression in opposition to Ukraine will unfold.
In a post on X this previous weekend, she advised US army funding would go to “Ukrainian Nazis,” repeating a false declare about Ukraine pushed by Putin.
Johnson nonetheless has the important thing help of Trump. The 2 appeared collectively at Mar-a-Lago final week, and Johnson has purchased into Trump’s proposal to construction some Ukraine assist as a mortgage fairly than direct assist. Whereas Democrats have lengthy complained that Trump exhibits deference to Putin, Johnson made the argument to Tapper that Trump might negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Johnson mentioned he’s not going to be consumed by interested by efforts inside his personal celebration to oust him. “Proper now I gotta do my job,” he mentioned, though he refused to touch upon what would occur if Democrats finally vote to maintain him as speaker. “If you do the appropriate factor, you let the chits fall the place they could,” he mentioned.