At the end of last month, Sen. Benjamin Cardin requested a visa ban against the 60 or so members of the Russian government who stand accused of ignoring the plight of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died following medical mistreatment in prison.  In this excerpt below from the hearing at Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, it appears that Cardin got the list of names entered into official record, while calling for other countries to follow suit with corresponding visa bans.  It’s hard to believe that this is a very effective measure against corruption, but at least it’s something.  Leave it to the Americans to always think the whole world wants to come here.  No visa to London, on the other hand, would make some people move in Moscow.

The Chairman: Yes, Senator Cardin.

Senator Cardin: Mr. Chairman, yesterday I sent a letter to Secretary of State Clinton, asking that the Department impose visa sanctions on 16 individuals in Russia who have been linked to a $230-million corruption scheme, torture, and death, and jail of anticorruption attorney Sergei Magnitsky.