Sting Targets Senator for Dirt on Russia Sanctions

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), known for her outspoken criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, “was hit with a bizarre impersonation attempt by someone hoping to get inside information on American sanctions targeting Russia,” according to emails and an audio recording obtained by the Daily Beast.

Shaheen “was contacted through her staff last November by an individual who said he worked for the foreign ministry of Latvia, a tiny Baltic nation supportive of efforts to reign in Russian aggression. The man said he was trying to set up a phone call between the senator and Edgars Rinkevičs, the Latvian foreign minister.”

“But before the call could take place, Shaheen’s office contacted the Latvian embassy to confirm Vaiders’ bona fides. The embassy responded that outreach attempt was fake.”