Paul Ryan is on ‘Team Russia,’ claims veteran political analyst

2 Feb, 2018 15:56 / Updated 6 years ago

You are either with us, or Russian. This seem to be the logic of mainstream liberal media as yet another politician supporting the release of a memo on FBI surveillance abuses is branded “Team Russia.”

Veteran journalist and MSNBC political analyst accused House Speaker Paul Ryan of being a Russian stooge during a political discussion about Devin Nunes’ FBI memo.

According to Heilemann, Ryan’s decision to stand with Nunes and President Donald Trump means he’s now on “Team Russia.”

It has clarified the extent to which Paul Ryan is now no longer on ‘Team USA’ or on even ‘Team old-Republican Party,’” Heilemann said. “He is on ‘Team Nunes,’ which means he is on ‘Team Trump’ which means, to some extent, they are all advancing, in some sense, the interests of Russia. This is what Russia wants here. I continue to be baffled by Ryan’s behavior.”

This accusation comes after Heilemann on Tuesday asked Democrat Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy if Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was a Russian spy. “Is it possible that the Republican chairman of the House Intel Committee has been compromised by the Russians? Is it possible that we actually have a Russian agent running the House Intel Committee on the Republican side?” Heilemann inquired.

Speaker Paul Ryan this week sanctioned the release of the controversial Nunes memo, which reportedly contains information on surveillance violations by the FBI and the Department of Justice. It is alleged the FBI sought a warrant to spy on President Donald Trump's associates, without disclosing that its decision was based on the infamous Trump-Russia dossier, also known as the Steele dossier, funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

Democrats fear Republicans will use the document to undermine special counsel Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Paul Ryan supports the release of a ‘counter-memo’ by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee. “If it is scrubbed to ensure it does not reveal sources and methods of our intelligence gathering, the speaker supports the release of the Democrats’ memo,” Ryan’s spokeswoman AshLee Strong said on Friday.

Commentators on Twitter expressed bewilderment at this latest development in the ‘Russia-gate’ furore hitting Washington.