'Blacklisted' Russian Spy Chief visits CIA director in DC

As Americans found out yesterday via The Russian Embassy (because our own White House keeps this news from us), blacklisted Russian Spy Chief Sergey Naryshkin, who heads the Russian intelligence agency known as the SVR, was in Washington DC last week meeting with T-rump's top officials to consult "on the struggle against terrorism.” The Russian embassy cited a report in the state-controlled Russian news agency, Tass.

Naryshkin as well as and Alexander Bortnikov, who runs the FSB, which is the main successor to the Soviet-era security service the KGB, met with CIA Director Mike Pompeo. Tass also reported that the head of Russia's military intelligence, the GRU, also came to Washington, though it's not clear that he met with Pompeo.

“This is a serious national security issue. Russia hacked our elections. We sanctioned the head of their foreign intelligence. Then the Trump administration invites him to waltz through our front door," said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer.

Democrats are correct to be concerned that Naryshkin’s visit may have influenced President Trump’s decision not to impose new sanctions on Russia before a deadline Monday. Schumer abd the Democrats called for full disclosure from T-rump on everyone who Naryshkin and Bortnikov met with last week, who accompanied them, and what exactly was discussed.

The White House has not yet complied.

“Which other sanctioned Russian intelligence agency figures has the Trump administration let into our country and, most importantly, is his visit why the Trump administration decided to forgo sanctions?” Schumer asked.

Naryshkin is one of several Russians who have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department as punishment for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, cyberattacks and meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections. Yet T-rump welcomed him last week.

The meeting took place despite high tensions between Russia and the United States over a Kremlin-directed campaign to interfere with the 2016 elections. Pompeo himself met with some Russian intelligence officials when he visited Moscow last May, though the White House was reluctant to release that news to reporters. Americans found out about it via Tass, once again.

U.S. intelligence officials, both current and former, said they couldn't recall so many heads of Russia's espionage and security apparatus coming to Washington at once and meeting with a top American official.

Anyone else tired of all this winning?