Jill Stein Rips Hillary Clinton on CNN For Calling Her a Russian Asset: ‘Unhinged Conspiracy Theory’

In a CNN interview, 2016 Green Party candidate Jill Stein ripped former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for calling her a Russian asset, saying Clinton was propagating an “unhinged conspiracy theory.”

Stein appeared with CNN’s Michael Smerconish on his eponymous Smerconish show Saturday morning to talk about Clinton’s recent attack — made during a podcast interview — accusing Stein of being a Russian asset.

“I am not a Russian spy. I think this is a completely unhinged conspiracy theory for which there is absolutely no basis in fact. Not for myself and not for Tulsi Gabbard. I think it’s really outrageous that Hillary Clinton is trying to promote this crazy idea. You know, you can’t just slander people. You have to present some basis and fact,” Stein said.

Stein went on to defend Gabbard, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who many assumed Clinton was referring to when she said a 2020 candidate was being “groomed” by the Russians for a third-party run. Gabbard herself forcefully condemned Clinton for her comments.

“Tulsi has said that she is dedicated to running as a Democrat and has been for her whole life. So that’s pretty believable. I am not running for office. Somehow Hillary Clinton didn’t do her Google research or she would know that I am not running,” Stein said. “I think it speaks to Hillary’s need to try to explain perhaps to herself, you know, why her campaign was not successful.”

Stein went on to endorse a ranked-choice voting system for presidential elections, which is in use most notably in Maine elections.

Watch above, via CNN.