Question: why should someone vote for Sanders over Wsrren

[TomCADem]

18. Okay, what about Bernie's Absurdly Pro-Russian Record?

Here is a question: Name the only member of Congress who voted against (1) the Magnitsky Act (2012), which was intended to punish Russian officials responsible for the death of Russian tax accountant Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009; and (2) voted against sanctioning Russia in 2017 for interfering with US elections? Answer: Bernie Sanders, not Tulsi Gabbard, though I can understand why some folks might think that she is the natural candidate.

To put this into context, Bernie Sanders was 1 of 2 (out of 100) senators to vote against Russia sanctions. And 1 of 4 to vote against the Magnitsky Act. I am sure that some folks will say that this is just a coincidence, but what are the odds?

At minimum, Bernie should have abstained from the vote given that Bernie received the benefit of Russian election interference in 2016:

Indictment: Russians also tried to help Bernie Sanders, Jill Stein presidential campaigns

WASHINGTON – It turns out Donald Trump wasn’t the only candidate the Russians allegedly tried to help during the 2016 presidential campaign.

A 37-page indictment resulting from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation shows that Russian nationals and businesses also worked to boost the campaigns of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Green party nominee Jill Stein in an effort to damage Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The Russians “engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump,” according to the indictment, which was issued Friday.

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“Specialists were instructed to post content that focused on ‘politics in the USA’ and to ‘use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump – we support them),’” the indictment said.

Finally, Bernie has largely been given a free pass on the above since no one is running attack ads against Bernie noting the above record, let alone Bernie going on a honeymoon to the Soviet Union:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/17/bernie-sanders-mystery-soviet-video-revealed-1330347

Politico: Bernie's mystery Soviet tapes revealed

BURLINGTON, Vt. — It’s 1988 and newlywed Bernie Sanders is in the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane, handing out gifts to the mayor of a midsized city they’ve befriended. The mood is festive as the two bestow the items: A Beatles album, a red “Bernie for Burlington” button, “delicious Vermont candy” and a tape of tunes Sanders recorded himself with fellow artists from Vermont, among other goodies.

“I have met many fine mayors in the United States,” Sanders says, “but I want to say that one of the nicest mayors I've ever met is the mayor of Yaroslavl.”

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The scene is part of 3½ hours of raw, never publicly seen footage of the trip Sanders took to the Soviet Union that year — his “honeymoon.” POLITICO viewed the tapes this week, along with a forgotten hourlong episode of a TV show created by Sanders that featured the same trip, at the offices of a Vermont government access channel.

Earlier this year, two minutes of the long-lost videos went viral when a staffer at Chittenden County’s Channel 17 posted a compilation of the station’s archival footage online. The clip featured a shirtless Sanders and other Americans singing “This Land Is Your Land” to their hosts after relaxing in a sauna. A few minutes later, Sanders doled out the gifts to his Russian friends with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Choosing Bernie Sanders to run against Trump would pretty much neutralize any effort to criticize Trump's efforts to cozy up to Russia.