Russian Company That Invested $200 Million in Mitch McConnell‘s Kentucky Is “Proxy for the Kremlin”
August 21, 2020
Mitch McConnell (Gage Skidmore)
By ericlewis0 (from the Daily Kos community)
From the Louisville Courier Journal:
Rusal, a Russian aluminum company, has invested heavily in a mill that the North American company Braidy Industries has planned for Eastern Kentucky — and according to a Senate Intelligence report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Rusal is a “proxy for the Kremlin.”
In 2019, journalist Morgan Watkins reports in the Louisville Courier Journal, Rusal agreed to invest $200 million in Braidy’s mill. And the bipartisan Senate Intelligence report, released on August 18, describes Russian oligarch and Rusal co-owner Oleg Deripaska’s ties to the Kremlin.
…
The Senate committee's report, which examines Russian efforts to interfere in America's 2016 presidential election, says: "Deripaska's companies, including RUSAL, are proxies for the Kremlin, including for Russian government influence efforts, economic measures, and diplomatic relations."
The first thing I thought when I heard about the Russian aluminum company’s massive investment in Kentucky was, “this is obviously Putin’s doing.” But never in a million years did I think that the GOP-chaired Senate Intelligence Committee would officially concur.
Mitch McConnell will likely claim he had no idea that Rusal was a proxy for the Kremlin. But as a member of the “Gang of Eight”, will anyone believe him?
Bye-bye Mitch.
Update 4:29pm ET: From hannah, in the comments:
The Ashland, Kentucky plant for Braidy Industries is still in the planning stage. They just got a new CEO.
The $200 million pledged is a smidgeon of the $1.5 Billion. Never mind that the plant is being planned to “penetrate the supply chain.” Can you imagine that?
Update 9:40am ET 08/21/2020: Mitch McConnell appears to have suddenly cancelled his live appearance at next week’s RNC. Hmmm. From AP, via USA Today:
In a reversal, Mitch McConnell's campaign said Thursday that the Senate majority leader will tape remarks for Republican National Convention, hours after an aide announced he would not have a speaking role at the event.
"Sen. McConnell is submitting taped remarks, and there was a miscommunication," a McConnell campaign source, who asked for anonymity in order to speak freely, told USA TODAY.
Earlier, McConnell campaign spokeswoman Kate Cooksey said in a statement on that the Senate majority leader would be "traveling across all corners of Kentucky next week to speak with families, workers and job creators about their needs."
Posted with permission