What would he do differently if he were compromised?
by digby
Nick Confessore of the NY Times says that something he hears people in Washington say often. And the answer is that it's hard to see what it would be. If it was just the fact that he loves a strongman, at this point he would have to tell his good buddy "Vlad, bro, you can see what kind of political pressure I'm under. I'm going to have to bring the hammer down because otherwise I won't survive long enough to keep helping you out."
But he's not doing that. He just keeps acting like he's guilty as sin.
I mean, come on...
Nearly three months after deeming Russia in violation of a chemical weapons law, the Trump administration has yet to impose tough new sanctions on Moscow required by the law and triggered by the poisoning last year of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.
Even as the European Union moves ahead, punishing four Russian officials this week in connection with the poisoning, the U.S. has not moved forward with its own penalties. The delay comes as the Trump administration faces intense congressional scrutiny over a Treasury Department deal to lift sanctions on companies that had been controlled by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Asked about the Skripal sanctions, the State Department told NBC News the U.S. "will proceed with our statutory requirements" but would not comment on when the sanctions will take effect.
"There is no deadline in the law for imposing sanctions," the State Department said, adding, "We intend to proceed according to the statutory requirements."
This should have been an easy one.
