McCain: Will Seberger/ZUMA; Coat: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-154946795/stock-photo-happy-man-covered-by-snow-enjoying-winter.html?src=11IMqT6f5JJIf1pmzXSixg-1-52">Jan Mika</a>/Shutterstock; Landscpape: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hobnob_malevolence/4903553713/sizes/o/in/photolist-8tiZFx-4TfsGX-4i6Gmc-jRf4gi-dy83K8-fnYpk1-fnYoWJ-fnJ8B8-fnJ7QT-fnJ8oT-fnYnRE-fnYmN1-fnJ7KP-fnJ7F6-fnJcc2-fnYndW-fnYqHy-fnJaPM-fnYoAq-fnJ826-fnJbjk-fnJ9bH-fnYrtU-cxCLfC-7cN432-7cSYZU-5Zw2TF-afEMJw-afC3Kc-afDbHp-afEMJ5-afEPzG-hPPebu-6p2dAe-5Uj7Fb-afFXDW-afFXCL-afFXGL-afFXF1-afEPCu-afEPDu-afC3Zk-afEPAU-afC3ZX-afEPAj-afC3PK-afEMFJ-afC1NR-afC1U6-afDD6t-afEMKj/">hobnob_malevolence</a>/Flickr. Photoillustration by <a href="http://develop.motherjones.com/authors/matt-connolly">Matt Connolly</a>.
On Thursday, shortly after President Obama expanded sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry released its own list of nine US officials and lawmakers who will be targeted by sanctions. The list includes three White House aides—deputy national security advisors Ben Rhodes and Caroline Atkinson, and senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer—as well as six US lawmakers: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)?, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)?, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio)?, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)?, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.)?, and Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.)?.
Many of the Sanctioned 9, none of whom will be allowed to visit the Russian Federation or attend Valdimir Putin’s birthday party (assuming it is held in the Russian Federation), took to Twitter to win the morning show their strength and solidarity.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.)?
#SanctionedByPutin will not stop me as @SenateEnergy chair to promote #USA as energy superpower & help ↑ energy exports to ↓ Russian power
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) March 20, 2014
Being sanctioned by President Putin is a badge of honor. #SanctionedByPutin
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) March 20, 2014
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
President Putin, it’s one thing to pick on me, but I wouldn’t mess with Mary. @SenLandrieu #SanctionedByPutin
— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) March 20, 2014
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)?
If standing up for #democracy & sovereignty in #Ukraine means I’m #SanctionedByPutin, I’ll take it.
— Sen. Robert Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) March 20, 2014
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
I guess this means my spring break in Siberia is off, Gazprom stock is lost & secret bank account in Moscow is frozen http://t.co/TgwZneD4HY
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) March 20, 2014
I’m proud to be sanctioned by Putin – I’ll never cease my efforts & dedication to freedom & independence of #Ukraine, which includes #Crimea
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) March 20, 2014
Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.)
While I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to go on vacation with my family in Siberia this summer, I am honored to be on this list
— Senator Dan Coats (@SenDanCoats) March 20, 2014
Putin’s recent aggression is unacceptable, and America must join with our European allies to isolate and punish Russia
— Senator Dan Coats (@SenDanCoats) March 20, 2014
Brendan Buck, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), to senior White House advisor Dan Pfeiffer
@pfeiffer44 congratulations
— Brendan Buck (@BrendanBuck) March 20, 2014
“What did you do during the war, daddy?”
“Twitter, mostly.”
