Moscow denies GOP senator's claim that Russia rejected his visa

Did Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) apply for a visa to travel to Russia or not? It probably doesn't really matter, either way.

The senator said in a statement on Monday that Moscow denied his request to travel to Russia as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation. He called the decision a "petty affront" and said he would "continue to advocate a strong and resolute response to Russian aggression," as he hopes to hold Moscow accountable for its actions in Crimea. Johnson's congressional colleague, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), was reportedly denied a visa, as well.

Hogwash, the Russian government said — Johnson was never denied a visa. Moscow said he mischaracterized the situation by presenting "everything as if he had been refused after applying." The Russian Embassy in Washington also said that Johnson never applied for a visa at the embassy and did not inform the office about his plan to visit. In reality, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he's actually on a list of individuals officially barred from entering the country because he supports "anti-Russian" legislation, which doesn't sound all that different from a visa denial when you think about it.

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So... ultimately, it's all semantics. The one thing that seems certain at the moment is that Johnson won't be headed to Russia.