Russian lawmaker targeted for U.S. stance

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MOSCOW, March 15 (UPI) -- Russian opposition lawmaker Dmitry Gudkov is suspected of taking action in the United States that may harm national interests, a Duma leader said Friday.

Sergei Zheleznyak, deputy speaker of Russia's lower house of Parliament accused Gudkov of undermining state interests during a speech this month at Freedom House in the United States, state news agency RIA Novosti reports.

Gudkov spoke March 4 at Freedom House during a panel discussion titled "New Approach or Business As Usual? U.S.-EU-Russia Relations After Putin's Crackdown."

Zheleznyak called on an ethics commission to investigate his comments made "during an anti-Russian forum." He expressed further concern that Gudkov's access to secret material and U.S. government representatives threatened Russian national interests.

Freedom House billed Gudkov as "one of eight who voted against the ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian orphans."

U.S. and Russian relations are strained by additional concerns over missile defense plans in Eastern Europe. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last year remarked that Russian economic efforts in the region were reminiscent of the Soviet era.