The Russian Oligarch Blacklist Cometh
A January 29th deadline is looming for Putin’s richy-rich friends and has, according to Bloomberg, set a flurry of lobbyists and proxies into the offices of DC powerbrokers. The Report which will be issued through the US Treasury Department threatens to expose Russian elites for less than noble financial behavior and actions since each name listed will include a ‘corruption index.’
The Report/List stems from the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, passed last summer with overwhelming Congressional support. It expanded previous sanctions leveled by the Obama Administration, including secondary companies and Kremlin-connected insiders and business leaders, Putin’s inner circle or best friends in crime.
According to one Erich Ferrari, founder of Ferrari and Associate in DC and who has helped individuals removed from the designation list, The Report will result in public shaming. Oh, Boo Frigging Hoo. Mr Ferrari went on to say:
“It’s a step below a sanction because it doesn’t actually block any assets, but has the same optics as sanctions -- you’re on a list of people who are engaged in doing bad things.”
One would think the remedy for all this angst of lost financial and personal cred would be:
Don’t do bad things.
Maybe we could ask The Trumpster for his opinion. Then again, maybe not.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle raised alarms after the Administration failed to meet the October 2017 deadline—designation of potential targets for additional sanctions—and came into compliance only after Senator Corker, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, urged the WH to follow through. I suspect that “urging’ was more like lighting a bonfire or threatening to bring back the adult daycare meme.
One could conclude that in all things Russian, The Donald tends to . . . drag his feet.
Nevertheless, the upcoming January report will be in addition to the 49 individuals designated December 20th by the Treasury’s Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the Magnitsky Act. The initial list targeted “gross violators of human rights in Russia as well as those responsible for fraud, extrajudicial killings, torture and other despicable acts.”
What a splendid group of people!
Despite the cries of Nothingburgers or Witch Hunt shrieks or suggestions that Hillary Clinton is two steps from Federal prison, etc., the wheels of our institutions are slowly, inexorably grinding forward. No amount of projection or temper-tweeting or Alex Jones’ conspiracy theories will halt that. Politco’s recent release of 270 individuals tied to the Trump/Russia investigation is a sign that the MSM is finally getting a clue. This is no small thing.
Interesting to note is the increasing, even frenzied outcry within certain Republican circles about the Russia probe. If you didn’t know better, you’d think they were sitting on the hot seat along with Putin’s whiny oligarchs.
A true mystery of the Universe. Or maybe something called Karma.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-12/russia-s-oligarchs-brace-for-u-s-report-listing-putin-friends
See US Treasury Press release here:
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0240
and Politico's graphic:
https://www.politico.com/interactives/2018/trump-russia-investigation-ties/
