‘Never Trump’ Republican Called For Russian Sanctions, Now He’s Lobbying Against Them

A top “Never Trump” Republican strategist who has called for “sanctions on steroids” against the Russian government has registered as a lobbyist for a Russia-owned nuclear energy firm that is seeking to relax sanctions.

John Weaver, a strategist for former Republican presidential candidate John Kasich, registered as a foreign agent of JSC Technabexport on May 10, according to documents filed with the Justice Department.

According to his filings, Weaver will be paid $350,000 to provide strategic advice and to lobby Congress and the Trump administration regarding a variety of issues, including “sanctions or other restrictions in the area of atomic (nuclear) energy.”

It’s a stunning about-face for Weaver, who has been a vocal critic of Trump and a leading proponent of the theory that the Republican is under the influence of Russia.

And Putin needs to face “Sanctions from Hell,” so that he and his KGB cronies can’t move their stolen money around the world.

— John Weaver (@jwgop) December 15, 2016

Silly. They interfered to specifically help Trump. And this isn’t “so hard” at all. Need tougher sanctions,etc.

— John Weaver (@jwgop) December 29, 2016

We must have stronger, tougher & broader sanctions against Russia, track Putin’s $ & show to world, toughen alliances with Baltics, Ukraine.

— John Weaver (@jwgop) January 6, 2017

Required: Special Select Cttee (equal members between parties) of Congress; Special Prosecutor; Sanctions on steroids on Putin/Russia.

— John Weaver (@jwgop) January 11, 2017

#RESISTANCE Call for Independent Counsel; Special Select Cttee of Congress (evenly divided between parties); Sanctions from hell on Putin.

— John Weaver (@jwgop) January 11, 2017

Of course Trump ended the sanctions on Deripaksa. You think Putin invested all of that just for chaos?

— John Weaver (@jwgop) January 27, 2019

Weaver acknowledged in an interview with BuzzFeed that his new role is “counterintuitive and confusing” given his criticism of Trump and Russia. He also said on Twitter that he was “shocked” when he was approached to work for Tenam, an American subsidiary of JSC Technabexport.

He claimed that his efforts to stave off sanctions against JSC Technabexport, which is wholly owned by the Russian government, will be “in line with US national security interests, keeps supplies stable for American energy producers and keeps nuclear proliferation at bay.”

He noted his criticism of Trump and his associates, claiming that he “will continue to call them out as I’ve done constantly and consistently since he arrived on the national scene.”

Weaver served as chief strategist in the 2012 presidential campaign to Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor who now serves as ambassador to Russia.