Top Senate Democrats Received Large Donations From Controversial Russia Pipeline Lobbyist

As senators argue over the restoration of sanctions on a major Russian natural gas pipeline project, it is revealed that a leading lobbyist for the Nord Stream project 2 prompted key Democrats to pour cash into the campaign.

Among them, according to Axios, is Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. This week, Schumer called Republican requests to include sanctions that could block the recently completed pipeline “unexplainable and outrageous,” according to a statement. Politico.

In 2019, the former President Donald Trump signed a law imposing sanctions against any entity that helps Russia bypass Ukraine by creating the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will bring Russian natural gas to Germany via a pipeline running under Baltic Sea, Theo BBC.

Trump said the ring would make Germany “hostage of Russia”. Russia currently supplies about 40% of natural gas to the member states of the European Union.

This line is also opposed by supporters Ukraine. Since much of Russia’s existing natural gas supply runs through Ukraine, it is seen as a potential deterrent to a Russian invasion of Ukraine. With no need to preserve their pipeline infrastructure, Ukraine becomes a target, so fear follows. Washington Posts.

In May, in what is framed by Insiders as “Biden’s gift to Putin,” the Biden administration waives those sanctions, saying transatlantic unity is more important than the pipeline.

Republican senators disagreed and attached an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would put Trump’s sanctions back in place.

As the debate subsided, Axios reported that Vincent Roberti, a former Connecticut state representative, had donated $5,800 — the maximum allowed — to Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Patty Murray in Washington. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire received a maximum primary contribution of $2,900.

Cortez Masto and Hassan face potential battles to win re-election in 2022.

Roberti’s company, Roberti Global, was paid more than $8.5 million to lobby for the pipeline, according to Lobbyist disclosure records referenced by Axios.

Pipeline needs all the friends it can get.

Six Republican senators, led by Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, proposed an amendment to the NDAA that would restore sanctions on the project, according to Reuters.

Furthermore, the attempt to end the debate over the NDAA shortening the amendment failed 45-51, missing the 60 votes needed to move forward, according to Freedom Radio.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the bill would not progress unless there was a Nord Stream 2 punitive amendment.

“Considering sanctions on fuel pipelines [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s Encroachment on Europe, Including Senator’s Terms [Jim] The risks closely mirror the language that the House has unanimously added, which is certainly worth the Senate’s time,” McConnell said.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said in a statement about website, “The Biden administration risks creating a generational geopolitical disaster for the United States by allowing Nord Stream 2 to go online. American weakness has prompted Putin to escalate the use of energy as a weapon and provoke aggression in the region. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reaffirm our bipartisan consensus that the Putin pipeline is harmful to the national security of the United States and the security of our allies, while also imposing sanctions on entities that build the pipeline before it can become operational.”

Risch said Biden and the Democrats are doing Putin’s bid.

Mr. Putin also publicly warned European Union leaders to hurry up with NS2 certification if they want relief from Europe’s worst gas crisis in years,” he said, according to the Cruz newsletter, At the same time, Russia is “creating and weaponizing this energy crisis”.