Trump thanks Marsha Blackburn for blocking 'blatant political stunt' bill

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President Trump says he may or may not report foreign opposition research to the FBI

Real Clear Politics reporter Philip Wegmann says he believes President Trump is trying to defend his son by making it seem like it is OK to accept foreign opposition research.

President Trump on Friday thanked U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., for blocking a bill that she called a “blatant political stunt.”

The bill, known as the Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act, was proposed by U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and required unanimous consent, the Tennessean of Nashville reported.

TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD 'WANT TO HEAR' DIRT ON 2020 RIVALS FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, SUGGESTS HE WOULDN'T CONTACT FBI

“Thank you Senator @MarshaBlackburn for fighting obstructionist Democrats led by Cryin' Chuck Schumer,” the president tweeted. “Democrats continue to look for a do-over on the Mueller Report and will stop at nothing to distract the American people from the great accomplishments of this Administration!”

The bill was prompted by remarks Trump made during an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in the Oval Office this week where the president said he would be willing to listen if a foreign government came to his campaign with “dirt” on an opponent.

“I think I'd take it," Trump said. "If I thought there was something wrong, I'd go maybe to the FBI."

In a "Fox & Friends"" interview on Friday, Trump clarified himself, saying he would “of course, report dirt to the FBI.”

"My colleagues on the left tried to rush this legislation through the Senate without giving it a chance for the careful consideration and debate needed to address such an important issue,” Blackburn said in a statement Thursday, according to the Tennessean. “Of course action needs to be taken to protect the integrity of our elections, but let’s do this the right way."

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Russians attempted to offer dirt on Hillary Clinton to the Trump campaign in 2016, the Mueller report found, but nothing came of it.