Sen. Bernie Sanders admits that he went to Yaroslavl, Soviet Union to establish a “sister city” program after he got married when he was mayor of Burlington, Vt. (RELATED: Graham: Sanders ‘Went To The Soviet Union On His Honeymoon And I Don’t Think He Ever Came Back’)
Appearing on “MSNBC Live” with Thomas Roberts Thursday, Sanders said he was “proud” to establish a sister city program with the city.
“Did you go on your honeymoon to the Soviet Union?” Roberts asked.
“The fact is that I went to establish a sister city program with Yaroslavl, then in the Soviet Union, now an important city in Russia which is still in existence today,” Sanders replied. “The purpose of that trip was a sister city. Did it take place after my marriage? It did.” (RELATED: Sanders: ‘No’ I’m Not A Capitalist, ‘I’m a Democratic Socialist’)
“I went with I believe 10 other people from the city of Burlington,” claimed Sanders. “So the purpose was to establish a sister city. I believe that cities should establish relationships with cities in other countries around the world, often countries that we have disagreements with, and that program is existing until today, where kids from Yaroslavl are coming to Burlington, Vt., our people are going there.”
“It is a fine relationship,” Sanders argued. “And I’m proud that as mayor that I helped establish that.”
Roberts then pressed Sanders if he thought “Sen. Graham is trying to imply that you are some type of communist sympathizer,” Sanders exclaimed, “Yes. Yes. That’s exactly what he is trying to do. I think that’s a little silly, absurd.”
“I think it is absurd and equally absurd that Chris Christie talks about me trying to raise taxes on 90 percent of the American people,” complained Sanders. “Totally nonsense. What we are trying to do is demand that the wealthiest people and the largest corporations in this country who have seen huge increases in their profits and their individual wealth, that they start paying their fair share of taxes.”
The Guardian reported in June that “the trip doubled as a honeymoon with his new wife, Jane.”