(NewsNation) — Russian propaganda has made its way to Congress and is even being repeated by lawmakers on the floor of the House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN Sunday.
“It is absolutely true we see, directly coming from Russia, attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor,” Turner said to anchor Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
Turner’s remarks echo comments made by House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, in a Puck news article last week. McCaul similarly said Russian propaganda has “infected a good chunk” of the GOP base.
Multiple Republican lawmakers, particularly those who support Donald Trump, have started voicing their opposition to sending more aid to war-torn Ukraine recently, while others in the GOP have grown frustrated with their colleagues over the issue.
CNN writes that Turner, an outspoken advocate of giving Ukraine more assistance, said as more “propaganda” takes hold of Congress, it makes “it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle.”
“There are members of Congress today who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which of course it is not,” Turner said.
The Senate in February passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan despite political divisions.
A small group of Republicans, opposed to the $60 billion being allocated for Ukraine, held the Senate floor through the night, arguing that the U.S. should focus on its own problems. Meanwhile, more than a dozen Republicans voted with a majority of Democrats to pass the package 70-29. Supporters of the legislation said abandoning Ukraine at this time could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and threaten national security worldwide.
While Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has said for months that the House will consider the funding package in due time, he’s pushed back that timeline, NewsNation partner The Hill reported. He recently promised to schedule a vote on it after Congress’ Easter recess, a period that The Hill notes comes to a close Tuesday.
Putting more pressure on Johnson is Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who filed a motion to vacate the speaker over a number of issues, including military aid for Ukraine. While ousting a House speaker would be a rare move, it’s happened before — notably to Johnson’s predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, just last year.
Still, Turner told CNN he doesn’t think Johnson’s position is being put at risk by what he deemed the “chaos caucus” or those members “who are seeking attention for themselves and trying to stop all of the important work in Congress.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
