Sen. Chris Murphy admitted he and other Democrats held a secret meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif last week.

The Connecticut Democrat who voted to impeach President Donald Trump apparently sees nothing wrong with meeting with “adversaries” as long as the meetings are conducted by Democrats. Trump seemed to be taken by surprise and told reporters Tuesday it “sounds like to me a violation of the Logan Act.”

President Trump: “I saw that…Senator Murphy met with the Iranians; is that a fact? I just saw that on the way over. Is there anything that I should know? Because that sounds like to me a violation of the Logan Act.” pic.twitter.com/qOEwDaRptR — CSPAN (@cspan) February 18, 2020

The State Department reportedly knew nothing of the secretive meeting during the Munich Security Conference, according to Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist.

“Such a meeting would mean Murphy had done the type of secret coordination with foreign leaders to potentially undermine the U.S. government that he accused Trump officials of doing as they prepared for Trump’s administration,” Hemingway wrote, citing Murphy’s 2017 criticism of then-National Security Adviser Mike Flynn.

Reminder: Washington Post, other media, and Obama DOJ repeatedly used “Logan Act” claims to target Mike Flynn and push Russia collusion conspiracy against Trump affiliates. — Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 18, 2020

Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. Former Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts also attended the Munich conference last week where Murphy joined Zarif in a public condemnation of U.S. policy.

And for Democrats who attacked Trump over his call with the Ukraine president last year, the hypocrisy was even more blatant with Murphy’s actual recounting of the meeting with Zarif. Apparently no transcripts are needed when Democrats speak with foreign leaders, and Murphy’s Twitter thread made the secretive rendezvous seem even shadier.

1/ Attached is my usual account of my latest trip abroad, this one to Ukraine and Munich. I met w the Iranian Foriegn Minister in Munich. It’s dangerous not to talk to adversaries, esp amidst a cycle of escalation. Quick thread on what I told Zarif.https://t.co/2oYjiXfZ7J — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 18, 2020

The Democrat lawmaker continued to give his version of events, with no link to any sort of official transcript of the conversation. He also published an account of the trip on Medium.

2/ First, I urged him to control any Iranian proxies in Iraq who might attack U.S. forces and allies there. Second, I pressed him to release American citizens being unlawfully detained in Iran. Third, I pushed him to end the Houthi blockage of humanitarian aid in Yemen. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 18, 2020

Murphy argued that Congress sets foreign policy as a way to excuse that “many of us have met w Zarif over the years,” while admitting no one in Congress has the power to negotiate with the Iranian leader.

3/ Congress is a co-equal branch to the executive. We set foreign policy too. Many of us have met w Zarif over the years, under Obama and Trump. So though no one in Congress can negotiate with Zarif or carry official U.S. government messages, there is value in having a dialogue. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 18, 2020

“I wish President Trump would see that value too. Because our current policy of blind, non-strategic escalation is just making Iran more powerful and menacing, and making America weaker and less secure,” Murphy added in another remarkably ignorant tweet.

4/ I wish President Trump would see that value too. Because our current policy of blind, non-strategic escalation is just making Iran more powerful and menacing, and making America weaker and less secure. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 18, 2020

Murphy’s meeting sparked immediate questions about a violation of the Logan Act, the federal law that bans unauthorized negotiations with foreign governments – especially ones that have made openly hostile remarks about the U.S. and launched missile attacks at locations housing American troops.

“Did leftwing Trump-hating senator, Chris Murphy, violate the Logan Act by meeting secretly with Iran’s foreign minister?” conservative radio show host Mark Levin asked in a tweet.

1. Did leftwing Trump-hating senator, Chris Murphy, violate the Logan Act by meeting secretly with Iran’s foreign minister? Did he interfere with American foreign policy? — Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 18, 2020

2. Will there be a special counsel and ethics investigation? How about an expulsion proceeding? Are the media in a frenzy over this act of disloyalty? Inquiring minds want to know.https://t.co/RdLjHaNlJl — Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 18, 2020

Others also slammed the senator for his “Democrat privilege.”

Chris Murphy admitted to meeting with the Iranian foreign minister—he’ll likely get away with violating the Logan Act Andrew McCabe admitted to lying under oath—he’s getting away with it This is Democrat privilege: They can ADMIT to their crimes and nothing happens It’s sick. — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 18, 2020

Going behind the Presidents back with no notification or approval from State Dept and engaging in secret talks as a US Senator is a violation of the Logan Act and should be prosecuted! — Billy C. (@MagikEraser0) February 18, 2020

Are the unredacted transcripts available to us somewhere? — Gary, MA professional counseling (@GaryCGeorge) February 18, 2020

The Iranian Regime: —Killed an American in December —Attacked US bases in Iraq —Shot down a civilian airplane, killing 176 innocent people Yet Chris Murphy and other Senate Democrats still met with Iran’s Defense Minister just to undermine Trump Logan Act? ? — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 18, 2020

Sen. @ChrisMurphyCT has regularly attended sessions held by #Iran‘s lobby @NIACouncil. And he criticized the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the world’s most notorious terrorist, who also killed more than 600 American soldiers in Iraq. pic.twitter.com/wfCn7Giuxj — Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) February 17, 2020