GOP rep: Russia sanctions have ‘air of politics’

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) says President Obama’s retaliation against Russia’s interference in the U.S. presidential election have the appearance of being politically motivated. 

“I’m not in [President-elect] Donald Trump’s mind, as you know, [but] I’m going to speculate here,” he said Friday of Trump’s disagreement with Obama on Russia on CNN’s “New Day.” “I think that the frustration of Mr. Trump is that this does have an air of politics.”

The Obama administration on Thursday announced an array of retaliatory measures aimed at punishing Russian meddling in November’s election. The measures included a slate of economic sanctions, diplomatic censure, public “naming and shaming” and the possibility of covert cyber measures. 

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“I don’t think Barack Obama has projected strength to Russia,” said Duffy, who endorsed Trump before his White House win. “Barack Obama hasn’t really done anything tough with Russia. So as he’s walking out the door, we have these sanctions but Russia’s been able to walk all over us and the rest of the world as a bad actor.”

Obama also announced the State Department will expel 35 Russian intelligence operatives and shutter two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used for intelligence purposes.

Obama has faced pressure to provide evidence Russia meddled in November’s election, a charge which Trump has vehemently denied.

Duffy on Friday dismissed the impact the leaks had on voters casting their ballots last month.

“I don’t think you or anyone else can give me any silver bullet of these leaks that changed anyone’s votes,” he told CNN’s Don Lemon. “They didn’t impact the election.”