Toomey calls for automatic sanctions if Russians meddle with future elections

(Harrisburg) — Pennsylvania’s junior U.S. senator is calling for new sanctions on Russia in the wake of 12 intelligence officers being indicted on charges they hacked Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign.

In a telephone town hall with little notice Wednesday morning, Republican Senator Pat Toomey said it is obvious Russia interfered in the 2016 election. He went further to say those actions must have had the approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Toomey said he is troubled by President Donald Trump’s “blindness” to Putin’s hostile acts against the United States and its allies.

He said new sanctions should be imposed on the Russian government immediately because of the indictments. He’s also supportive of proactive legislation to deter Russia from similar actions. 

“I think we should pass legislation that would automatically impose a new round of sanctions that no president could block, in the event that Russia were to intervene in the next round of elections,” Toomey said. “They need to understand they’re going to pay a price that’s too steep for them to want to go down this road again.”

Toomey also said the U.S. should be working to bring the indicted Russian agents to justice, but said he realizes it’s unlikely they will be extradited to face trial.

During the town hall, the senator also addressed the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Some Democrats and critics of the Trump administration have called for the Senate to wait until after this year’s midterm elections to hold confirmation hearings on Kavanaugh.

A Bucks County constituent on the call said the nomination presents a conflict of interest for President Trump while he’s under investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Toomey said he doesn’t see any reason to wait.

“I strongly disagree with the notion that we should somehow delay or hold up the confirmation of what appears at this point, to me, to be a terrific candidate for the Supreme Court,” Toomey said. 

Toomey opposed the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court during President Obama’s last year in office.

In an editorial published on PennLive, Toomey wrote one reason was, “the balance of the Supreme Court is at stake, and we have an election right around the corner.”

Toomey said Mueller should be allowed to finish his investigation.

Two constituents criticized the senator for the structure of the town hall. One said it should have been in-person instead of a telephone town hall, and another was frustrated with the lack of notice ahead of time.