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CNN
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There’s a main disconnect between two CNN tales on Wednesday about Russia and the US.

► First, learn this report from CNN’s Sean Lyngaas a couple of hacking group with ties to the Russian authorities which may be liable for a cyberattack on a Texas water facility, one in all a number of doable assaults on US water amenities about which the federal authorities has warned.

Key line: “…whether it is confirmed that the (Russian intelligence service) GRU or one in all its proxies was concerned, this may mark an escalation in focusing on US important infrastructure for a Russian group usually recognized for specializing in Ukraine.”

► Then, learn the newest from CNN’s Capitol Hill workforce on the long-stalled effort to supply further army help to Ukraine in its warfare to repel Russia’s invasion. GOP Home Speaker Mike Johnson might lastly be primed to defy the precise wing of his occasion and permit a bipartisan majority to bless the help six months after it was requested by the White Home.

Key line: “Conservative hardliners have been shortly fuming at Johnson for his determination to maneuver forward with billions of {dollars} in help to Ukraine and loudly warning him it might price him his job.”

What’s clear from the water facility hack is that Russia continues to meddle within the US, both by attacking infrastructure or meddling in elections.

What’s clear from the Ukraine funding story is {that a} very small minority of lawmakers, with assist from right-wing media, doesn’t view Russia as a lot of a menace.

Whereas it’s principally Republicans who oppose further funding for Ukraine, they’re nonetheless a minority, even inside their very own occasion. In February, 22 Republicans within the Senate joined all however three Democrats to type a 70-vote majority in favor of the funding. It’s honest to assume the same bipartisan majority would assist Ukraine funding within the Home’s newest international help bundle unveiled on Wednesday.

“We’re the best nation on the planet and we’ve to behave prefer it,” Johnson advised CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview on “The Lead” on Wednesday. He defended his plan, promised a future invoice would tackle the Republican precedence of border safety and argued that the overwhelming majority of $60 billion in Ukraine help would go to US protection contractors.

“The duty for the free world has been shifted onto our shoulders,” he mentioned, including US troops wouldn’t be dedicated in Ukraine. “We’re not the world’s policeman.”

Not all Republicans are shopping for the pitch, and the divide throughout the GOP over Ukraine is getting extra heated, which is jeopardizing Johnson’s potential to steer. CNN’s Capitol Hill workforce experiences that some potential Johnson rivals are quietly positioning themselves in case there’s one more ousted speaker.

Johnson’s Republican critics, in the meantime, are getting louder.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz described Johnson’s technique, an advanced four-part parliamentary gambit to tie help for Ukraine with help for Israel, Taiwan and the US border, as “give up.”

Texas Rep. Chip Roy didn’t decide to voting to oust Johnson however mentioned he’s “previous the purpose of giving grace” to the still-new speaker.

And so they aren’t even the 2 Republicans who’ve already mentioned they might quickly vote to finish Johnson’s speakership, though it’s not clear when.

The primary who’s already on the report is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who described Ukraine as “the one nation that for some bizarre, sick and evil motive that they care about.” She was referring to Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin, who has raised the alarm about the specter of Russia to the remainder of the world if Ukraine falls.

The opposite Republican already publicly in favor of ousting Johnson is Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. He praised Tucker Carlson for that softball interview the previous Fox Information host performed with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this 12 months. That’s the interview CNN’s media workforce described as a “propaganda victory” for Putin.

Johnson might need assistance from reasonable Democrats to fend off the hassle to oust him, and some Democrats have mentioned they might break custom and cross occasion traces to assist him. It’s not clear if Johnson would need the assistance, since occasion loyalty is prized within the GOP.

The Russia divide is clearly testing that loyalty. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican from Wyoming, who was ousted for her opposition to former President Donald Trump, has referred to the “Putin wing” of the GOP as a menace to the US.

Former Rep. Liz Cheney sees a “Putin wing” within the GOP.

Rep. Michael McCaul, the Texas Republican who chairs the Home Overseas Affairs Committee, advised Puck Information this month that Russian propaganda has “contaminated an excellent chunk of my occasion’s base,” threatening the Ukraine help.

Requested about that propaganda remark by Tapper earlier this month, Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, who chairs the Home Intelligence Committee, agreed.

“Oh, it’s completely true,” he mentioned.

Republican lawmaker says Russian propaganda has ‘contaminated an excellent chunk’ of GOP base

“To the extent that this propaganda takes maintain, it makes it tougher for us to actually see this as an authoritarian-versus-democracy battle, which is what it’s,” Turner mentioned.

Greene, who former Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado described as “Moscow Marjorie” throughout one latest CNN interview, has mentioned on conservative media shops that she is not involved that Putin’s aggression towards Ukraine will unfold.

In a put up on X this previous weekend, she recommended US army funding would go to “Ukrainian Nazis,” repeating a false declare about Ukraine pushed by Putin.

Johnson nonetheless has the important thing assist of Trump. The 2 appeared collectively at Mar-a-Lago final week, and Johnson has purchased into Trump’s proposal to construction some Ukraine help as a mortgage slightly than direct help. Whereas Democrats have lengthy complained that Trump reveals deference to Putin, Johnson made the argument to Tapper that Trump might negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.

Johnson mentioned he’s not going to be consumed by occupied with efforts inside his personal occasion to oust him. “Proper now I gotta do my job,” he mentioned, though he refused to touch upon what would occur if Democrats in the end vote to maintain him as speaker. “Whenever you do the precise factor, you let the chits fall the place they could,” he mentioned.