In unusually forceful, angry, and personal terms, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday countered what he called “baseless smears” from left-wing media and vowed not to be “intimidated,” in the wake of a Washington Post op-ed that declared McConnell a “Russian asset.”
That op-ed was written by columnist Dana Milbank, whom McConnell bluntly suggested was one of several “hyperventilating hacks” who conveniently had ignored former President Obama’s “feckless” Russia policies.
Milbank had argued that McConnell’s opposition to several election-security bills proposed by Democrats effectively made him an unwitting Russian agent, and other pundits quickly echoed Milbank’s argument. On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday, host Joe Scarborough repeatedly called McConnell “Moscow Mitch,” saying he was “aiding and abetting” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to “subvert” American elections — and even alleging a Russia-linked investment in Kentucky could be playing a part.
“I don’t normally take the time to respond to critics in the media when they have no clue what they’re talking about,” McConnell said. “But, this modern-day McCarthyism is toxic, and damaging, because of the way it warps our entire public discourse.Video
“Facts matter,” McConnell said sternly. “Details matter. History matters, and if our nation is losing our ability to debate public policy without screaming about treason, that really matters. In the middle of the 20th century, the original McCarthyism hurt America’s strength and diminished our standing in the Cold War by dividing us against ourselves.” – READ MORE