Steven Seagal joins pro-Putin political party in Russia – National

Steven Seagal, the ’90s motion star and self-styled musician, has formally joined a political coalition backing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Seagal, 69, obtained his membership card for the A Simply Russia — Patriots — For Fact coalition in a ceremony posted on social media Saturday, within the American actor’s newest transfer to undertake Russia as his dwelling.

The coalition fashioned earlier this yr and holds seats in Russia’s decrease home of parliament. It’s anticipated to participate within the upcoming parliamentary election in September, although Seagal just isn’t eligible to run for a seat due to his U.S. citizenship.

Putin made Seagal a Russian citizen in 2016 primarily based on their shared love for martial arts. Seagal has additionally ceaselessly praised Putin in public.

On Saturday, Seagal hailed his new political coalition and referred to as for a brand new regulation to severely punish companies that pollute the atmosphere. The actor additionally touted his personal proposed “Steven Seagal Regulation” on the press convention on Saturday.

“We have to examine, arrest and prosecute individuals criminally so that there’s outcomes,” he stated in a video launched by the get together.

“With out with the ability to arrest individuals, once we simply superb them, they’re most likely making more cash off the manufacturing of the issues which can be defiling the atmosphere.”

Putin tasked Seagal with enhancing U.S.-Russia ties in 2018 — a mission that has yielded questionable outcomes thus far, as the 2 sides stay at odds over many points.

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Russia duties Steven Seagal with enhancing U.S. ties

Nonetheless, Seagal has continued to symbolize Russia overseas. Earlier this month, for instance, he paid a go to to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Seagal gave the dictator a samurai sword and posed with him for a number of photographs on the time.

Seagal rose to fame within the late Eighties and early ’90s because the star of such movies as Above the Regulation, Beneath Siege and Out for Justice. 

He confronted a slew of allegations of sexual misconduct in 2018, amid a broader #MeToo reckoning in Hollywood. The Los Angeles district legal professional’s workplace finally dismissed two potential instances in opposition to him later that yr, after figuring out that the statute of limitations had expired in each situations.

The actor has not made a movie since back-to-back motion motion pictures in 2019.

— With information from Reuters