GOP Senator Pushes Russian Conspiracy Theory Then Admits He Blew Off Intel Briefing

Were you, were you —

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY:

Now, is there, is there meddling — I’m sorry.

CHUCK TODD:

No, no, no, were you briefed —

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY:

Go ahead.

CHUCK TODD:

— by the intelligence — according to the New York Times a couple of weeks ago, U.S. senators were briefed after Fiona Hill’s testimony that actually this entire effort to frame Ukraine for the Russian meddling of 2016, of which you, you just made this case that they’ve done it, that actually this is an effort of Russia propaganda, that this is a Russian intelligence propaganda campaign in order to get people like you to say these things about Ukraine.

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY:

Uh-huh.

CHUCK TODD:

They’re trying to frame Ukraine. You apparently were briefed about this in the United States Senate by intelligence officials. Are you at all concerned you’re doing Russian intelligence work here?

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY:

I was not briefed.

CHUCK TODD:

You didn’t attend that briefing?

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY:

And now, listen, doctor —

CHUCK TODD:

You didn’t attend a briefing on that?

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: