The Poynter Institute Menu Donate State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin Issues * All Issues * Online hoaxes * Coronavirus * Health Care * Immigration * Extremism * Taxes * Marijuana * Environment * Crime * Guns * Foreign Policy * LGBTQ+ People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis Media * PunditFact * Tucker Carlson * Sean Hannity * Rachel Maddow * Bloggers * PolitiFact Videos Campaigns * 2024 Elections Truth-o-Meter * True * Mostly True * Half True * Mostly False * False * Pants on Fire Promises * Biden Promise Tracker * Trump-O-Meter * Obameter * Latest Promises About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Suggest a Fact-check * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters Donate #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up English Español ### Stand up for the facts! Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Evan McMullin stated on March 6, 2022 in an ad: “As the world rallies around Ukraine, Mike Lee was one of only two senators to oppose sanctions on Putin. Then he flew to the Kremlin and discussed dropping sanctions. Lee even opposed arming Ukrainians fighting for their lives.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-false/6a6ef6075c162fdccf5eb960e683dcd1.jpg.\\") ![\\"barely- true\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * Foreign Policy * Ad Watch * Ukraine * Russia * Evan McMullin ![\\"Russian](\\" Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Feb. 7, 2022 in Moscow. (AP) ![\\"Tom](\\" By Tom Kertscher March 7, 2022 # Evan McMullin ad portraying GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee as pro-Russia, anti- Ukraine is Mostly False #### If Your Time is short * The ad mixes present events, referring to the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, with actions Lee took years ago. * Lee voted in 2017 against sanctions against Russia. * The ad is misleading in saying Lee’s votes over several years against large spending bills were evidence that he specifically opposed spending provisions in them to aid Ukraine. See the sources for this fact-check Utah\'s U.S. Senate race is so unusual that some leading Democrats, believing no Democrat can defeat two-term Republican Sen. Mike Lee, are urging support for independent candidate Evan McMullin. McMullin, a former Republican who made news by raising more campaign money than Lee in the latest reporting period, attacked Lee with a TV ad over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The McMullin-narrated ad, which also ran on Facebook, opens by showing an undated NBC News headline that says: \"Russia launches invasion of Ukraine.\" Mixing the present tense and the past tense, McMullin said: \"As the world rallies around Ukraine, Mike Lee was one of only two senators to oppose sanctions on Putin. Then he flew to the Kremlin and discussed dropping sanctions. Lee even opposed arming Ukrainians fighting for their lives.\" Russia’s invasion is less than two weeks old, while Lee’s actions cited in the ad occurred years ago. Moreover, the ad mischaracterizes some of Lee’s actions. After participating in a March 5 video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Lee said Zelensky is \"concerned not only about his own people, but he’s concerned about his neighbors, he’s concerned even about the Russians. Now, this is something that really differentiates him from Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Putin has never once indicated any degree of sympathy for the people of Ukraine or for perhaps anyone other than himself.\" In a statement to PolitiFact, Lee’s campaign said Lee \"stands with the people suffering from Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. He condemns this senseless, unprovoked violence and he is committed to keeping Americans safe.\" ‘As the world rallies around Ukraine, Mike Lee was one of only two senators to oppose sanctions on Putin’ The context is the February 2022 invasion, but the ad alludes to a vote Lee took five years ago. To back up the ad, McMullin’s campaign cited a 2017 vote by Lee and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., against imposing financial sanctions on Russia for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The measure also condemned Russia\'s interventions in Ukraine and Syria, and allowed Congress to block the president from unilaterally lifting existing sanctions against Russia. The amendment became law. Lee said at the time: \"The Russian sanctions amendment included funding for programs and support of policies that I believe are not effective at addressing problems in the U.S.-Russia relationship and have promoted progressive policies unrelated to countering Russia at the expense of American taxpayers.\" ‘Then he flew to the Kremlin and discussed dropping sanctions’ This refers to a trip Lee made more than three years before the invasion. The ad cites news reports about Lee’s September 2019 trip to Moscow to meet with Konstantin Kosachev, head of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Lee told an NPR reporter in Moscow during the visit that he wanted to maintain an open dialogue with Russia and said about U.S. sanctions against Russia: \"We need to assess from time to time how they\'re doing, what impact they\'re having.\" The Russian state-affiliated news agency Tass reported at the time that Lee discussed removing sanctions, leading the Salt Lake Tribune to run this headline: \"Report: Sen. Mike Lee discussed loosening sanctions against Russia during Moscow visit.\" Lee’s office said at the time that he and the Russian official discussed \"trade, security and religious liberty issues.\" After returning from Moscow, Lee told the Deseret News that the official \"didn’t waste much (time) in getting to some of the grievances that he’s got. He complained almost right off the bat about Russian sanctions.\" #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 16, 2024 in X posts Ryan Routh appeared in a Blackrock commercial. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 16, 2024 In a statement to PolitiFact in response to McMullin’s ad, Lee’s campaign said the Russian official advocated for a reduction in sanctions, and that Lee \"summarily dismissed this request and stated significant improvements in Russian policy, diplomacy and behavior would be required before a reduction in sanctions would be considered.\" Lee’s campaign also pointed out that in January 2022, Lee voted for a Russia sanctions bill in connection with Russia\'s Nord Stream 2 pipeline that failed in the Senate. ‘Opposed arming Ukrainians’ McMullin’s campaign cited seven no votes Lee cast — in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 (two votes) and 2020 to back this part of the claim. The campaign said that each measure contained financial aid for Ukraine. But none of the votes was a specific vote for or against aid to Ukraine. Rather, each measure contained numerous expenditures for a variety of purposes. For example, Lee’s 2020 vote was on a consolidated appropriations act that appropriated much more than foreign assistance; it included money for the U.S. departments of agriculture, commerce, justice, defense, energy and more. Voting no on an omnibus bill does not indicate opposition to each expenditure in the bill. Over the years, Lee has struck different tones on Ukraine. In August 2014, six months after Russian troops took control of Ukraine’s Crimea region, Lee advocated for increased production of U.S. oil and natural gas, paired with sanctions. Putin \"would never have dared do what he did if we were aggressively producing and exporting oil and natural gas. He would never have gotten away with it,\" Lee said. \"So, yeah, economic sanctions, we have to go there,\" but paired with the increased energy production. In September 2019, after it was revealed that then-President Donald Trump, while withholding millions in aid to Ukraine, urged Zelensky on a call to investigate political rival Joe Biden, Lee downplayed the call. Lee said he didn’t think the call was \"a problem\" and argued it \"certainly doesn’t serve as the basis for impeaching and removing\" Trump. The Utah race McMullin, a former CIA operative, was a Republican before running as an independent for president in 2016. He made news in February with reports showing he raised more campaign money than Lee in the final quarter of 2021. Some leading Utah Democrats are urging Democrats to support McMullin, believing a Democrat can’t win statewide in the heavily Republican state. The Utah race could play a role in determining which party controls the Senate, which is now split 50-50. Campaign watchers rate the race as solid or safe Republican. Lee is also being challenged in Utah’s June 28 primary. The leading Republican challengers are former Utah state lawaker Becky Edwards and communications strategist Ally Isom. Our ruling McMullin said: \"As the world rallies around Ukraine, Mike Lee was one of only two senators to oppose sanctions on Putin. Then he flew to the Kremlin and discussed dropping sanctions. Lee even opposed arming Ukrainians fighting for their lives.\" The context is Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but Lee’s actions cited in the ad occurred years earlier, and the ad mischaracterizes some of those actions. Lee did vote in 2017 against sanctioning Russia. In 2019, he had talks with a Russian official in Moscow, but Lee suggested the discussion of dropping sanctions was fairly minimal. Seven votes cast by Lee dating back to 2014 were on spending bills with numerous provisions and are not evidence that Lee opposed specific provisions in the bills to provide aid to Ukraine. McMullin’s statement contains only an element of truth. We rate it Mostly False. _RELATED:_Fact-checking whether Biden’s Russia sanctions over Ukraine didn’t start for 30 days, had loopholes #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources AdImpact.com, Evan McMullin \"Opposition\" ad, accessed March 3, 2022 Facebook, Evan McMullin \"Opposition\" ad, ran March 4, 2022, to March 6, 2022 Interview, Evan McMullin campaign spokesperson Joshua Karp, March 4, 2022 Email, Ben Burr, Mike Lee campaign consultant, March 4, 2022 Twitter, Mike Lee tweet, March 5, 2022 C-SPAN, Mike Lee remarks, Aug. 17, 2014 NPR, \"U.S. Sen. Lee\'s Visit To Russia Stirs Controversy,\" Sept. 9, 2019 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Amendment (Crapo Amdt. No. 232 As Modified),\" June 14, 2017 Deseret News, \"How did Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s talks with government leaders in Russia go?\", Sept. 13, 2019 Salt Lake Tribune, \"Sen. Mike Lee doesn’t see Trump phone call ‘as a problem,’\" Sept. 26, 2019 Salt Lake Tribune, \"Utah\'s Sen. Mike Lee votes against Russia sanctions, says they\'re costly, ineffective and push progressive policies,\" June 16, 2017 Salt Lake Tribune, \"Sen. Mike Lee heads to Russia as the Kremlin denies visas for two Senate colleagues who backed sanctions,\" Sept. 4, 2019 Salt Lake Tribune, \"Report: Sen. Mike Lee discussed loosening sanctions against Russia during Moscow visit,\" Sept. 6, 2019; updated Sept. 7, 2019, New York Times, \"Senate Backs Measure Limiting President’s Power to Lift Sanctions,\" June 14, 2017 CNN, \"Senate approves new Russia sanctions,\" June 15, 2017 U.S. Senate, \"On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 133 ),\" Dec. 21, 2020 U.S. Senate, \"On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1865 ),\" Dec. 19, 2019 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.J. Res. 31 ),\" Feb. 14, 2019 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1625 ),\" March 23, 2018 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 244 ),\" May 4, 2017 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendments to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2029 ),\" Dec. 18, 2015 U.S. Senate, \"Question: On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 83 ),\" Dec. 13, 2014 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Tom Kertscher slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 19, 2023 in an Instagram post: A wind turbine must “spin continually for over four years just to replace the energy it took to manufacture it.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on July 15, 2023 in un video en TikTok: \"Biden elimina ‘tráfico sexual de menores’ como una de las prioridades del Departamento de Justicia de su gobierno”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • July 25, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 17, 2023 in an Instagram post: \"Florida to ban mRNA vaccines as credible evidence of biological weapons.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video suggests Canada wildfires were deliberately set to advance “smart cities” push. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 30, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a video: Women vaccinated against COVID-19 face \"unknown side effects that could perpetually go down through the lineage\" to their children. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: As of Aug. 25, \"Luis Rubiales has resigned as the president of the Spanish Football Federation.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 24, 2023 in an Instagram post: The World Health Organization said there is \"a possible causal relationship\" between COVID-19 vaccines and multiple sclerosis. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 9, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video shows military planes over Nashville \"dispersing materials into the atmosphere\" for geoengineering. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 23, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 20, 2023 in a Facebook post: “Official statement — Putin assassinated in the Kremlin!” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Tom Kertscher • August 22, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 8, 2023 in a Facebook post: \"The federal government has just declared a major food shortage emergency\" in six states. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 16, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Steve Kirsch stated on August 8, 2023 in a blog post: COVID-19 vaccines have killed 676,000 Americans. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Tom Kertscher • August 14, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 6, 2023 in a viral image: California passed a law “reducing penalties for oral, anal sex with willing children.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 9, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on June 22, 2023 in a post: A new law allows people to permanently erase unpaid debt older than two years from their credit records. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 1, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 28, 2023 in a video: “Skin cancer is a relatively new phenomenon in the last 60 years or so.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 1, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on July 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Says Bill Gates said, “We’re taking things that are genetically modified organisms, and we’re injecting them into little kids’ arms” in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 31, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 19, 2023 in an Instagram post: A wind turbine must “spin continually for over four years just to replace the energy it took to manufacture it.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on July 15, 2023 in un video en TikTok: \"Biden elimina ‘tráfico sexual de menores’ como una de las prioridades del Departamento de Justicia de su gobierno”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • July 25, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 17, 2023 in an Instagram post: \"Florida to ban mRNA vaccines as credible evidence of biological weapons.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video suggests Canada wildfires were deliberately set to advance “smart cities” push. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 30, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a video: Women vaccinated against COVID-19 face \"unknown side effects that could perpetually go down through the lineage\" to their children. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: As of Aug. 25, \"Luis Rubiales has resigned as the president of the Spanish Football Federation.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ### Evan McMullin ad portraying GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee as pro-Russia, anti- Ukraine is Mostly False * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 30, 2024 in a Threads post: Image shows a photo of former President Donald Trump wading through floodwater after Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 2, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2024 in a rally in Erie, PA: Kamala Harris \"let in the 13,099 convicted murderers and opposes all efforts to find them and to remove them.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Marta Campabadal Graus • October 2, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Georgia coach Kirby Smart\'s family ends relationship with Taylor Swift: ‘We do not support her endorsement.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 20, 2024 in a Facebook post: “TD Jakes MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHES: The search for the renowned bishop begins!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 29, 2024 in X posts: A biolab caught fire in Georgia right before the 2024 election. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2024 in a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania: Vice President Kamala Harris “even wants to legalize fentanyl.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Amy Sherman • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" House Majority PAC stated on September 9, 2024 in a television ad: Laurie Buckhout is “trying to get to Congress to pass a national abortion ban, allowing politicians to ban abortions with no exceptions and prosecute women if they get an abortion, treating women right here like criminals.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Paul Specht • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on September 9, 2024 in a post: “Less than three months ago, Kamala Harris and her administration blocked 300,000 unvetted Haitian migrants from being deported out of our country.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 30, 2024 in an X post: Photo shows President Joe Biden lounging on the beach \"while towns all over America were being wiped out” by Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 30, 2024 in in social media posts: “Biden Announces: ‘2.4 billion more to Ukraine’ but ‘no more aid for Hurricane Helene.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 30, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. Become a member! In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Sign me up #### Offices District of Columbia 1800 I Street NW Washington, DC 20006 Florida 801 3rd St. S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-821-9494 #### People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis #### State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin #### About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters #### RSS Feeds * Recent Articles and Fact-checks * Recent Fact-checks Suggest a Fact-check #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Copyright ©All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ![\\"\\"](\\" ✕ * * *
As the world rallies around Ukraine Mike Lee was one of only two senators to oppose sanctions on Putin Then he flew to the Kremlin and discussed dropping sanctions Lee even opposed arming Ukrainians fighting for their lives