Press Releases
05/23/2023
Attorney General Tong Statement Regarding Russian Sanctions
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding news that he and other attorneys general who condemned the January 6 insurrection and defended the legitimacy of the 2020 election against baseless legal challenges have been banned from Russia and subjected to financial restrictions.Attorney General Tong has received no formal notification or explanation from Russia beyond news reports of this action. The New York Times quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as stating its targets were “those in government and law enforcement agencies who are directly involved in the persecution of dissidents in the wake of the so-called storming of the Capitol.
“I will defend our country and our democracy against insurrection and sedition every chance I get. These outlandish sanctions are just further evidence of the role Putin has played in destabilizing our democracy and undermining public faith in the legitimacy of our elections. As far as I can tell, those of us on this list were targeted because we stood up to Trump and the terrorists and traitors he enabled when they tried to overturn the election and violently seize control of our government,” said Attorney General Tong. "The Russian government targeting Connecticut's Attorney General with sanctions is beyond absurd, to be sure. But this action also reflects how desperate the Putin regime is to infect disinformation into every level of government in America, to legitimate their murderous war on the Ukrainian people, and prop up their pro-Russia puppets and assets in our country."
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Elizabeth Benton
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