If Maria Butina was working for the Russian government under Alexander Torshin’s direction, she and her boss hid their effort to infiltrate American decision-making apparati in plain sight. On February 13, 2016, Torshin tweeted the following (and as of this moment, five days after Butina’s arrest, it’s still online):
“Maria Butina is now in the USA,” tweeted the Russian central bank deputy governor over a Russian article about Jeb Bush and Donald Trump sparring over Putin in a debate in Florida. “She writes me that D. Trump (NRA member) is truly for cooperation with Russia.”
Now anyone can read the transcript of the debate to which Butina referred in her communication to Torshin and come to the same conclusion: Bush, Kasich, and Rubio all talked tough about Russia and Putin, with Bush specifically saying it was “ludicrous” for Trump to suggest that Russia could be a “positive partner” in fighting ISIS in Syria, while Trump stuck to his accommodation of Putin. The key point this February 2016 Tweet makes is that Butina was in communication with a Russian government official and discussing exactly the goal cited in the criminal complaint against her, that she was working for the Russian government in America to seek a regime that would be friendlier toward Putin.
In fresher online news, Butina’s gun-rights organization is promoting FreeMaria avatars for Facebook, Instagram, and VK, a social media platform popular in Russia:
https://www.salon.com/2018/07/20/what-criminal-conspiracy-charges-against-an-alleged-russian-spy-might-mean-for-the-nra_partner/
So she watched a debate on national television and reported back to Torshin what she and everybody else who was watching saw.
Well there you have it. Her assignment was to watch American TV.
We have also learned that she was under surveillance by the FBI the whole time she was in Washington but they decided to pick her up when they heard she was going to move here. They were afraid they would lose track of her here. It’s all those cellular dead zones I guess.
This story just gets better all the time. I can’t wait for the revelation that notorious con man Paul Erickson figured out he could get beautiful foreign women into bed by telling them he worked for the CIA.
Who has the movie rights to this drama?
Leslie, I just read the Salon article.
The author makes the assumption that without the Russian influence, the NRA would have been supporting the Clinton campaign.
I don’t think so.
Furthermore, $30 million dollars works out to only $6 per member. Pfft!
Comrade Dusty and Comrade Sex Kitten Butina even had a song for their magic. Take a listen and see if you can see where Comrade Dusty, lost control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaV-6qerkqI
Ms Beal,
The Washington Post
Democracy Dies in Darkness
Just three percent of adults own half of America’s guns
Try your math again.
Mike,
One in Three Americans Own Guns
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/one-three-americans-own-guns-culture-factor-study-finds-n384031
Cory,
Trump has been more harsh on Russia with sanctions than Obama was. Why didn’t you acknowledge that in your article?
The French have their own version of Butina https://twitter.com/K8brannen/status/1020484409173184512
Comrade Anne Beal, I can understand your love for the motherland Russia and its great wealth per capita. “Personal income of Russians shrank by 52.2% in January 2016 as compared to December 2015. According to the report by the state statistics body Rosstat, the monthly income in January averaged only 21365 rubles (about USD $291) though only a month ago it was 45212 rubles ($614).” This per capita income as opposed to this “In 2016, median income per capita was $33,205. That’s the highest in U.S. history. In fact, it was more than 10 times greater than in 1967, when median per capita income was only $2,464.”
What card carrying comrade wouldn’t want to have a country where you can make that kind of money living in a mild temperate zone. Another advantage, is the prez there, Vladimir Putin (your hero) likes to go around without a shirt, no doubt tempting you. Yes, the money and the Pootie Poot (as W. called him) make you want to throw away what you have here and go full Comrade.
In news that should surprise no one, Russia is calling for Butina’s release
Good catch on the hot babe in France Kal Lis. Comrade Dusty kind of got smitten by the Sex Kitten here though, only red heads. Check this out:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/tpm-media/Butina_Infographic/Butina.html
Comrade Dusty and the rest of the comrades should see who their chain of command is on the lower tiers anyway. What a rogues gallery.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/feb/20/donald-trump/has-donald-trump-been-much-tougher-russia-barack-o/
Drumpf’s claim that he has been tougher on Russia is mostly FALSE!
Ha, Kal Lis! I wonder: will the Russians secure immediate release, or will Trump persuade Putin to let this play as reality TV and hand Maria over to him in person at a White House ceremony in September?
Jerry, they need to add Dusty to that graphic!
Well, we can’t put Comrade Dusty’s mug next to Jindal or to the fake medal wearing Clarke, because of the skin color thingy at the bottom of the page. I think as smitten as he was to let a Russian spy get all cuddly with him, he needs to be making eye contact with his sex kitten, Butina, meeooow.
Cory,
Excellent question.
Given her NRA connections, I was wondering if NRA president Ollie North views her as a hostage. He might be working some backchannels like he did during the Iran Contra affair.
A reality TV type show like you suggest would make better television.
Why is there a Russian NRA when you cannot possess a gun in Russia as a civilian? Comrade Dusty please let us in on that.
“It’s well-known that not all our citizens can own small guns, submachine guns, or sniper rifles, keep those at home and use, if necessary. Only a limited group of people has such powers, mostly enforcement officers. But in fact, weapons can be obtained illegally, provided that you have money and right connections.” If Russia was so concerned about guns in public, why wouldn’t they allow the arming of their citizens?
https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/black-weapons-market-flourishing-in-russia/
When will Ollie North go to Moscow and all the villages in Russia to preach “good guys with guns” stuff?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/report-accused-russian-spy-maria-butina-met-with-us-treasury-fed-officials?ref=home
Another wedge of pie for Putie dear?
Anne guns god republicans russians billionaires sex. Selling out democracy. Blame clintons u say?U guys have “governed” SD right into the claws of billionaire Kochs & Putin. Forget puppet Trump. Traitor McConnell.
How much did paul erickson hate daschle? Along with tapio, lauck. ravensburg & many other professional flakes. Is the USD law school a Koch think tank? A republican candidate mill? A tax haven give away of public resources? I seem to remember republican legislative leadership this year vociferously defending neutered banking/trust/tax regulations, commissions and new statutes as way above a Democratic Governor Candidate/ CPA’s head. No Merrick Garland and ACA for the lower/middle class. No medicare expansion for SD.
Seen the front page of the Wash Post? Maria, oh Maria!?
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/21/republicans-mariia-butina-alger-hiss-problem-219028
Is she the wingnuts Alger Hiss?
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/07/accused-spy-maria-butina-backed-russian-billionaire-whose-son-ties-trump-campaign-report/
Another possible connection to Russia.
I guess she’s not as interesting as everybody thought, she was hanging out with John Kerry and other Obama’s administration officials. Nothing to see here, folks!
Then there’s the revelation that charges of failing to register as a foreign agent don’t apply to spies, just lobbyists. There’s no such thing as registered espionage. A spy registry should be set up similar to the one for sex offenders. Then we could have maps of where all the spies are living in our neighborhoods, and nobody would make the mistake of inviting them to talk to teenagers at camp.
Au contraire, Anne. Russian espionage remains interesting no matter who was President while it was taking place. We need to know everyone she met and tried to influence.
I missed the John Kerry connection. Can you provide a link on that?
And “revelation”? Are you saying Butina didn’t commit that crime? I’m confused on your point.
But if it matters, check the use of the plural, Anne: Reuters reports one Obama Admin official, Nathan Sheets. There’s also a dude from the Federal Reserve, but isn’t the Fed generally viewed as separate from the White House?
Drumpf’s ‘latest minor distraction from colluding with Russia-
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
10:24 PM – Jul 22, 2018
Reuters mentioned Butina meeting Fed officials under Obama, but the vast majority of sites making this a big deal are the usual wingnut suspects at the Blaze, Washington Examiner, etc.
As for Kerry, he has been having talks with Iranian officials in the background much as Condo Rice did after Obama was elected.
Dershowitz claims Kerry is violating the Logan Act which never seems to apply to anyone at any time.