At least 29 Pennsylvanians are among the nearly 1,000 Americans banned from entering Russia, according to an updated list the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry released over the weekend.
Why it matters: While largely symbolic, the travel ban highlights the downward spiral of Russia-U.S relations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The big picture: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg, filmmaker Rob Reiner, and actor Morgan Freeman are among some of the big names banned from visiting Russia.
Zoom in: The list also names most of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, as well as John Kennedy, a retired common pleas judge in York, and former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott Brady.
- Joy Flowers Conti, a chief federal judge for the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, is also listed.
The intrigue: Sen. Pat Toomey and U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson and Mike Kelly — all vocal critics of the invasion — aren’t included.
What they’re saying: “We emphasize that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said in a statement.
- U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans — who represents Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, which spans most of Philadelphia — said he considers the sanction “a badge of honor.”