Earlier this week, Harry Reid (D-NV) took to the floor of the Senate to accuse Republicans and the Koch brothers of holding up a Ukraine Aid bill. Here’s what he said:
“Since a few Republicans blocked these important sanctions last work period, Russian lawmakers voted to annex Crimea and Russian forces have taken over Ukrainian military bases,” Reid said. “It’s impossible to know whether events would have unfolded differently if the United States had responded to Russian aggression with a strong, unified voice.”
Here’s the problem: Republicans didn’t block those important sanctions. Republicans rejected Harry Reid’s amendments to the Ukraine Aid bill. Amendments unrelated to Ukraine aid.
But the deal also includes changes long-sought by the White House that would shift about $63 billion in IMF money from a crisis fund to a general account. Doing so would make good on a 2010 pledge by the Obama administration and ensure greater U.S. influence over the world body.
Several Republican senators are opposed to including changes to the IMF in the aid deal. Several of them wrote a letter last week outlining their opposition, saying the IMF provisions are “antithetical to the driving purpose of the underlying legislation.” They also said they are concerned that U.S. contributions to the IMF would double “yet actually undermine our influence in that body in a manner that provides no actual relief to Ukraine.”
See? Harry Reid wanted to insert IMF reforms into the Ukraine Aid bill and that’s what was being rejected.
Then a funny thing happened. Republicans in the House passed a clean bill with no IMF reforms. Then the Senate passed it. It all took less than a day.
BREAKING: Senate overwhelmingly passes bill aiding Ukraine, imposing sanctions on Russia.
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 27, 2014
Now, if you’re a fan of logic – like me – you could easily conclude, based on Harry Reid’s rationale, that it was Harry Reid who delayed the vital Ukrainian aid that might have made a difference in the Crimean referendum. Using Harry Reid’s rationale, he might have helped Russia annex Crimea.
Of course, Harry Reid’s rationale is ludicrous.
But… their rules.