Mike Pence , the Republican vice presidential nominee, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin last week by saying that he has been “a stronger leader” than President Barack Obama . As a congressman, however, Pence denounced Putin’s treatment of journalists. Pence co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press in 2006. Its members wrote a letter to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, urging her to pressure Russian leaders to uphold press freedom and investigate why journalists critical of Putin had been killed. Russia consistently ranks among the countries where members of the press have the least freedom, and journalists there face constant scrutiny and danger.

Source: Huffington Post September 12, 2016 20:03 UTC