Prime Only Members-Only Article
Editor's Brief

There’s More to that McCarthy Story

US President Donald Trump (R) speaks beside House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on January 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should r... US President Donald Trump (R) speaks beside House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on January 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
|
July 27, 2018 12:35 p.m.
THE BACKCHANNEL
FREE EDITION
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
NEW!
A FREE email newsletter from Josh Marshall An email newsletter from Josh Marshall

A few days ago, I went back to that Kevin McCarthy quote from back in June 2016, when he told his leadership colleagues that he thought Vladimir Putin paid two people: Trump and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. As I noted, that came just after McCarthy and Paul Ryan had both met with the new (and current) Ukrainian Prime Minister, who had told them about Russian actions in Europe, funding right/nationalist parties, using propaganda operations to destabilize governments and so forth. But it turns out there’s more to that chain of events than I’d realized, more that makes McCarthy’s statement and Ryan’s secrecy more troubling and suspicious.

This is a members-only article
Small Team. Big Results.
We’re proud of what our small newsroom has accomplished and it’s not hyperbole when we say that without our members, none of this would be possible.
Free memberships available for students and those experiencing financial hardship.
Already a member? SIGN IN
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: