Schumer, Trump trade Twitter barbs over Russia
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded Friday to President Trump’s apparently sarcastic call for an investigation into his supposed “ties to Russia and Putin.”
Schumer said he’d be happy to have a public discussion to hash out their respective ties — or lack thereof — to Russia.
The latest Trump Twitter spat started Thursday when Schumer said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should resign after it was revealed he talked to the Russian ambassador during the campaign despite saying under oath that he hadn’t. He also called for a special counsel to investigate the Kremlin’s interference in the U.S. election.
“Because the Department of Justice should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign,” Schumer said at a press conference.
Early Friday afternoon, Trump — whose campaign and new administration have been dogged by reports of their ties to Moscow — tweeted a years-old picture of Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.
“We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!” he wrote.
We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017
Shortly after, Schumer said he’d be happy to discuss his 2003 contact with the Russian leader and his associates. He said the meet-up took place in full view of the press and the public. Then he asked Trump if his team would be willing to do the same.
Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017
Reached for comment, Schumer’s office simply pointed Yahoo News back to the senator’s tweet.
On Sept. 26, 2003, Vagit Alekperov, the president of the giant Russian oil company Lukoil, escorted Putin and Schumer through New York’s first Lukoil gas station ahead of Putin’s scheduled meeting with then-President George W. Bush at Camp David in Maryland.
Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood, a local blog about New York, reported that Schumer recommended that Putin try the glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme. Afterward, while addressing the press on the expansion of Lukoil in New York, with Putin by his side, Schumer said, “With the introduction of this independent source of oil, the Saudis and OPEC will not have the stranglehold on oil prices they currently have.”
And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017
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