Ex-GOP Rep. Susan Molinari: ‘Next Year, I Hope We’re Listening Less to the Russians and More to Dr. Fauci’

Former Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY), who once lobbied for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Russia, said at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night that we will be “listening less to the Russians” and more to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“This time next year, I hope we’re listening less to the Russians and more to Dr. Fauci,” Susan Molinari said during the opening sequence of Thursday night’s programming in which Democrats said what they would hope would happen this time next year.

Molinari represented Staten Island for three terms in the House as a Republican before she left Congress in 1997. Shortly after she retired from Congress, she joined the Washington Group in 2001 as its president and chief executive.

In 2007, the Washington Group became part of a contract with the worldwide public relations firm Ketchum in representing Russia, which was later revealed to be valued at $7.5 million, the New Republic reported in 2009.

Much of the Washington Group’s lobbying with Russia at the time had to do with its energy policy as well as its business with the World Trade Organization.

Biden, who was head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the time, had been in contact with the Washington Group.

While Molinari was with the Washington Group, she faced scrutiny for her business ties with Russia and eventually limited the company’s relationship with Russia to lobbying for a member slot in the World Trade Organization in 2015, Politico reported.

In a turn of events, Molinari also gave the keynote speech at the 1996 Republican National Convention.