WH, Congressional Leaders React to Poisoning of Russian Dissident

As Russian film-maker Vladimir Kara-Murza lies in a coma in Moscow battling for his life, both the White House and leading members of Congress began to react to the almost-certain poisoning of one of the best-known opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kara-Murza, 35, was hospitalized Feb. 2 for kidney failure and spent the next six days in a coma. The circumstances of his ailment were almost identical to those two years ago, when Kara-Murza was hospitalized following a collapse doctors believe was brought on by a "toxic substance."

Noting the charges by the dissident's wife Evgenia that her husband was poisoned and the Putin regime has "created such a climate in our country, that actually encourages this kind of behavior," Newsmax asked press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday if the White House had any response to the Kara-Murza affair.

"I think our State Department is aware of the situation," the president's top spokesman told us. "We're monitoring it, and I'll leave it at that.'

But at least two Republican congressional leaders were doing more than "monitoring" the situation. Hours before Spicer addressed the Kara-Murza affair, both Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., the co-chairmen of the pro-human rights Helsinki Commission in Congress, spoke out strongly.

"In today's Russia, there is a disturbing trend of violence that targets members of the political opposition," Wicker said. "I am particularly concerned about Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is fighting for his life in a Moscow hospital after being poisoned. Mr. Kara-Murza has appeared at multiple Helsinki Commission events and is a tireless advocate for restoring democratic freedoms to the Russian people. The United States should have no illusions about the nature of the Russian regime."

Smith also voiced his concern for Kara-Murza, noting he "has been a champion of free and fair elections in Russia, and has fought bravely to hold Russian officials accountable for human rights violations. Vladimir and his family are in my thoughts and prayers. We all hope that he recovers quickly – and I call upon the Russian government to take all measures to investigate this incident, and to bring those responsible to justice."

The Russian government has denied any connection to Kara-Murza's illness.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.