Congressional Record—Senate S7375

December 10, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7375 To me, the future of the U.S.-Mexico Some call this trickle-down econom- sponded to my questions about the relationship is important. It is one ics. Others call it voodoo economics. I Trump administration’s new policy— that we all ought to care about. I think call it, plain and simple, rainbow and really, just a couple of months old— the opportunities are there for us to unicorn math. No matter what you call that would open the floodgates to more engage in strategic partnerships with it, it just isn’t connected to reality. foreign dark money in American elec- Mexico in a number of ways—for exam- The Trump tax handout will not pay tions. We all know from this last elec- ple, dealing with the asylum problem for itself, and even after independent, tion about what dark money means. that Secretary Nielsen has already nonpartisan economic analyses dem- We had our airwaves and TV sets, begun to negotiate. onstrated that was the case and even from sea to shining sea, dominated by Through our partnership, we can after months of data were released television commercials that had a tag work together to solve this migrant showing that the Trump tax law has line on it—something akin to ‘‘Ameri- crisis by improving the economy and failed to live up to the administration’s cans for high school football’’ or the opportunities that people have to fantasy land promises, Mr. Muzinich ‘‘Americans who believe in our flag,’’ live and work in their home country, continues to cling to this false claim. or various other things that none of us as well as to protect trade, which sup- I will give him credit. He has what would possibly disagree with but that ports so many jobs here in the United my relatives call—what Jewish people would in no way reflect who actually States. call—chutzpah, but that sure isn’t paid for that commercial that found its I yield the floor. going to win him my support. way to our TV sets. f In my judgment, it also raises a fun- There were increased floods of dark damental question of honesty. Before money commercials through the past RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME his nomination hearing, newspaper re- November election, and right before The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under ports ran glowing quotes about him that, the Trump administration adopt- the previous order, the leadership time from several key officials at the Treas- ed a rule that would make it even easi- is reserved. ury Department. They praised Mr. er for foreign dark money to make its f Muzinich’s financial expertise, and way into our elections. they talked about the expansive role he We will be talking about that rule CONCLUSION OF MORNING would play in a whole host of areas at later this week. There is going to be an BUSINESS the Treasury Department—not just tax effort with Senator TESTER and me to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning policy but debt management. Repub- overturn that flawed policy, but the business is closed. lican committee members talked all fact is that this is something that an f about the work he had put into the de- individual who was nominated for the velopment of the Trump tax law. important position Mr. Muzinich seeks EXECUTIVE SESSION I was pretty interested in Mr. would have some views about and par- Muzinich’s substantive views on these ticularly because the rule change—the EXECUTIVE CALENDAR big questions because I had read these rule change made by the Trump admin- glowing tributes from his colleagues, istration to allow more dark money in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under and I thought, well, if we are going to American elections—was announced the previous order, the Senate will pro- have someone promoted to this impor- just hours after the American people ceed to executive session and resume tant position, we really ought to get a learned about the illicit activities that consideration of the following nomina- sense of what he believes on the really an accused Russian spy Maria Butina tion, which the clerk will report. important, substantive economic had used to infiltrate conservative The senior assistant legislative clerk issues. So I began to ask the nominee groups and undermine our democracy. read the nomination of Justin George about these questions, and he, as I indi- So if that were a coincidence, that Muzinich, of New York, to be Deputy cated, just put any response sort of in the Trump administration announced Secretary of the Treasury. the ‘‘well, I couldn’t possibly get into this new rule to make it easier for for- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- that’’ category. eign dark money to make its way into ator from Oregon. I wanted to know why because, even- our elections—announced just a few Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, the tually, we got around to his saying hours after the American people Senate will soon cast the first proce- that he really wasn’t going to get into learned about Maria Butina—I have to dural vote on the nomination of Justin these issues because he said if he was tell you that it is a coincidence for the Muzinich to serve as the Deputy Sec- confirmed, he would just be, in his ages. retary of the Treasury. I am going to words, a ‘‘building manager.’’ The Trump administration and other oppose this nomination, and I would A building manager is somebody who officials, of course, say that Maria like to lay out exactly why, beginning doesn’t get praised by his colleagues as Butina was just an innocent college with a basic rule that I intend to main- being an expert on debt management student attending American Univer- tain going forward. and tax policy. Building managers have sity. I don’t know of many college stu- If a Treasury nominee says the important responsibilities. They are in- dents who go to South Dakota with an Trump tax handouts will pay for them- volved in things like acoustics and ven- NRA political operative to set up a selves, I intend to oppose them. The tilation. They have responsibilities. shell company. That is not common be- reason why is that by sticking with That is what building managers do. havior for an American college stu- this debunked claim, you are basically They certainly don’t have duties like dent. Yet, given the fact that the laying out the economic policy version those described by Mr. Muzinich’s col- Trump administration had made it of being a flat-earther. You are either leagues. easier to get foreign dark money into peddling an idea you know is untrue, or I had some real difficulty reconciling our elections—and a common vehicle you can’t do math. Either way, you the way his own colleagues described for doing that would be one’s using a shouldn’t have a pivotal, powerful job him in these important publications shell company—it certainly, again, at the Treasury Department. and what he told me about his respon- raises very troubling signs that a When Mr. Muzinich came before the sibilities as the building manager. I nominee for this key position will take Finance Committee for his nomination think he really is not reflecting what no position whatsoever on something hearing, it was a titanic battle just to his job is all about, and the fact that so important as that of protecting our try to get him to offer any kind of sub- he would misrepresent that to me in elections. stantive answer on pretty much any- our discussions prior to his nomina- The fact is, with this new policy, the thing. One question he finally answered tion—he misrepresented to the ranking President is essentially blinding law straight up was whether he agreed that Democrat on the Senate Finance Com- enforcement and telling foreigners and the Trump tax handouts would ‘‘pay mittee in charge of the nomination—is, dark money groups that it is open sea- for themselves and reduce our defi- in my view, very troubling. son for election cash to flow. cits.’’ There he gave a one-word re- I also have had very serious ques- I asked Mr. Muzinich about this. I sponse, which was ‘‘yes.’’ tions about the way Mr. Muzinich re- asked: What do you think about this VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:01 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10DE6.003 S10DEPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S7376 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2018 problem in terms of preventing foreign hope for the future of our space pro- 200, 300 years ago. Leaving the relative influence and enforcing election law? I gram. safety and comfort of home to explore couldn’t get a straight answer. Finally, I have been extremely privileged to new frontiers is every bit as important he told me: ‘‘The intent was to further have witnessed and in some cases to now as it was then. We must proceed efficient tax administration.’’ have participated in the extraordinary with caution lest we foolishly put the I can tell you something. I don’t triumphs of our Nation’s 60-year quest lives of the explorers at risk, but we think Maria Butina was interested in to explore the heavens. I flew to orbit must also proceed with courage lest we anything that had to do with efficient and marveled at the beauty, fragility, risk remaining stuck on the ground.

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