Does it surprise anyone that lots of pols have been compromised by Russia in one way or another? I'm thoroughly convinced that Russia spends a lot of money in nefarious ways against Western democratic nations. Whether it be Brexit or Trump, they want to divide the West so it can subjugate its neighbors.
Putin spent years in the KGB. He knows all the tricks. He will compromise or kill his adversaries.
I'm sure Burchett is right. Some American politicians have been ensnared in honey pots. Maybe because he's been blackmailed, he knows as well as anyone how this works.
But of course we don't know the exact reason that so many members of the GOP have went from being against Russian aggression in other countries to supporting it. Maybe, the honeypot has ensnared them or maybe they have been paid off.