Bucshon Doesn’t See a Divide in the Republican Party on Russia

WASHINGTON–You’re paying more for gas and heat and Congressman Larry Bucshon would like to hear Pres. Biden offer a solution to that in tonight’s State of the Union speech.

State of the Union

“I want to hear him recognize that even though all of us agree that we should continue to work towards a more carbon-free environment in the long-run, in the short-run we’re gonna open up our American energy and we’re gonna use it geopolitically to help our allies in eastern Europe,” said Bucshon, in a Tuesday news conference.

Bucshon rebuffed an assertion by White House spokesperson Jen Psaki that wind and solar energy should be the short-term solution (in Bucshon’s interpretation of Psaki’s comments), to not getting oil or other energy from Russia.

Bucshon represents southwest Indiana in Washington.

LISTEN: Congressman Bucshon Press Conference

“That could be very well a solution over time. But, we’re talking about in the next few weeks or months so that we can cut off the ability of the Russians to finance their activities in the [sic] Ukraine.”

Divide in the Party

Bucshon was asked about former Pres. Trump’s comments praising Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin. Bucshon said he hadn’t seen the comments, nor would he comment on what Trump said, saying he doesn’t see any divide in the Republican Party when it comes to dealing with Russia.

“I certainly don’t praise Putin myself. He’s a brutal dictator of a country and right now he’s committing genocide probably, in the [sic] Ukraine,” said Bucshon. “I don’t think there’s a difference of opinion at all. I think we recognize that we need to defend our NATO allies, do what we can to help the Ukrainian people defend themselves and recognize that the fact that Vladimir Putin may not stop with the [sic] Ukraine.”

Bucshon said that while some Libertarian-leaning Republicans believe that America should tend to its own matters, in a sort of isolationist fashion, he believes most Republicans believe the action that is being taken is correct, insofar as the U.S. is sending troops to NATO-member nations and not to Ukraine.

Bucshon said the difference with the administration is he and other Republicans believe action should’ve been take earlier.

He also rebuked the reporter who asked about Trump’s comments.

“Why don’t you call Ms. Pelosi and ask her what she thinks when Ilhan Omar makes anti-American statements or anti-Semitic statements. I don’t see anybody asking that question, or when Pres. Biden makes a gaffe. I don’t see anybody asking that question. So, I’m not gonna comment on a former president’s comments, which are really irrelevant because he’s not in office. Thanks for the question, though.”