This is the story that may unravel the presidency of Donald Trump.
A judge has denied bail for Maria Butina, the NRA-linked Russian woman charged with being a Russian foreign agent in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Vladimir Putin admitted earlier this week in Helsinki he'd wanted Donald Trump to win, for the benefit of Russia.
Butina pled not not guilty to being a Kremlin foreign agent. Prosecutors revealed more today, including allegations that Butina had transactional sex with more than one U.S. person, who has not yet been named. Live news and some analytical tweets follow, including my own take on what this is and where it's going.
Maria Butina's lawyer Robert Driscoll gave a statement to reporters after the hearing, saying they disagreed with judge's decision to detain her: "She is not an agent of the Russian government … She is innocent of the charges brought against her" pic.twitter.com/vLkJjwMzLd
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 18, 2018
Maria Butina, the Russian graduate student and gun rights activist charged with being a Russian agent, will remain in custody after a judge found there were no release conditions that would ensure she wouldn't flee. Here's what went down in court: https://t.co/1TRABDBimV
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 18, 2018
Here's a brazen #MariaButina (Мария Бутина) tweet from 8 Nov 2016. “America gets the Republican Donald Trump for the presidential term. Advocate of arms rights and restoration of relations with Russia.” https://t.co/3byd59xfTC
— Xeni Jardin (@xeni) July 18, 2018
Maria Butina is charged with being an unregistered foreign agent, under FARA regulations.
As the DOJ website puts it,
FARA is a disclosure statute that requires persons acting as agents of foreign principals in a political or quasi-political capacity to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities.
She pleads not guilty.
The charges against Maria Butina include allegations of transactional sex between Maria Butina and various American persons, with the end goal (at least on her end, involving her rear end) of advancing Russian interests.
“On at least one occasion, Butina offered an individual other than U.S. Person 1 sex in exchange for a position within a special-interest organization,” prosecutors said.
U.S. Person 1 and other individuals, if you went for it, I hope it was the best of all possible sex. It may be the last you have for a while.
I also hope your lawyers are the best of all possible lawyers.
This is a breaking news development seen as greatly significant to the crumbling presidency of Donald J. Trump, who is with each day more obviously compromised in some deeply corrupt way with Russia.
I believe Trump is not the only government official who will be found guilty of this form of treachery to the United States, over money, Russia, and other forms of rank traitorous corruption.
This truth is about to unfold.
Hold on to your butts.
Below, video of Trump answering Butina's question about Russia at a Trump campaign rally. Not weird at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyBspPEPejI
Govt has provided exhibits shown today at Maria Butina's hearing — handwritten list referring to Russian FSB, photo of Butina at a restaurant with an expelled Russian diplomat, and Butina at the Capitol on Inauguration Day. Prev: https://t.co/1TRABDBimV pic.twitter.com/7E8gW6ypRo
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 18, 2018
Butina did not speak at the hearing. Just before the hearing her lawyers had asked that she be allowed to appear in court in civilian clothes, but she was wearing an orange prison uniform (she was not shackled though)
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 18, 2018
So I've been raked over the coals on this by the Bear Market Brief boys, but it's my impression that Butina's actions would have been perfectly legal, if she'd either registered under FARA or “notified” the Attorney General.
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2018
UPDATE: Judge rejects bail for Maria Butina, the sex-for-information Russian agent who infiltrated GOP and gun-rights groups https://t.co/wlWNeDr7kC
— David Beard (@dabeard) July 18, 2018
Have “patience and cold blood and faith in yourself,” Marina Butina’s Russian military official told her, regarding state efforts to attack America. https://t.co/XCRAzqibY1
— Xeni Jardin (@xeni) July 16, 2018
Never forget what Maria Butina’s spy boss Torshin told her.
“Patience and cold blood + faith in yourself. And everything will definitely turn out.”
— Xeni Jardin (@xeni) July 18, 2018
Accused Russian agent Mariia Butina tried to trade sex for influence, say prosecutors. https://t.co/Gdu2cLYaba
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 18, 2018
.@DonaldJTrumpJr just retweeted another conspiracy theory, this one about the WSJ distributing pro- and anti-Trump headlines to “different markets” in 2016. They’re different editions, printed at different times, about a half-day apart. https://t.co/MullN3mr96 pic.twitter.com/VEQkFFV6w4
— Cooper Fleishman (@_Cooper) July 18, 2018
Trump, Reagan, Pat Buchanan, Jack Abramoff, John Wayne Bobbitt, the NRA and now arrested Russian spy Maria Butina have a common link — GOP mover and shaker Paul Erickson. His home state newspaper looked at his unusual life in Feb. before Maria surfaced. https://t.co/7Sv0qVp4Kg
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) July 18, 2018
A further look at Paul Erickson's alleged contact with accused Russian agent Maria Butina https://t.co/TImky5GzEN
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) July 18, 2018
In June 2017, Maria Butina reached out to a progressive civil rights group in DC, asking to interview them about their cyber vulnerabilities for an AU school project. Alarmed, their security consultant contacted the FBI. https://t.co/cun2YUkJ26
— Rosalind Helderman (@PostRoz) July 18, 2018
I wonder how many conservative activists are sweating bullets this afternoon and hoping for a quick plea deal for Maria Butina.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) July 18, 2018
For three years, Maria Butina was part of a low-cost, low-risk influence operation that was run by a senior Russian official and was assisted by an unnamed American operative with Republican ties, federal prosecutors say https://t.co/mNfyjSXQYG
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 18, 2018
The American discussed in the indictment of Russian spy Maria Butina allegedly gave her access to organizations in exchange for sex. Looks like there will be an arrest of this Russian collaborator soon. https://t.co/YIxIj8wLiF
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) July 18, 2018
For the first time since her Sunday arrest & Monday revelation of such, U.S. prosecutors have unveiled their accusations that Maria Butina, who infiltrated the NRA, has ties to Russian intelligence. A blockbuster court filing just now.https://t.co/aqYV04lQeN
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) July 18, 2018
In new court filing, feds say they believe Maria Butina has been in contact with Russian intel officers, and "offered an individual other than (her boyfriend) sex in exchange for a position within a special interest organization."
— Devlin Barrett (@DevlinBarrett) July 18, 2018
Maria Butina wasn't arrested for having red hair. She was arrested for infiltrating the NRA and Republican Party at the direction of the Kremlin. https://t.co/0FKdQ9RHJq
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) July 18, 2018
Dear @NRA and @DLoesch: Do you know the name of this American in the Maria Butina indictment? https://t.co/i99wKopkLh
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 18, 2018
Today’s indictment of Russian spy Maria Butina alleges that an American worked with her “for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian federation.” It looks like the American could also be charged. Sure sounds a lot like “collusion.” https://t.co/gWPQwJYlNU
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) July 17, 2018
On January 20, 2017, in response to a photo Butina sent to the Russian Official of her near the U.S. Capitol on Inauguration Day, the Russian Official responded, “You’re a daredevil girl! What can I say![]” Butina responded, “Good teachers![]”
Diabolical.
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2018
“[Butina's correspondence] refer[s] to a known Russian businessman with deep ties to the [Kremlin] […] he was listed in Forbes as having a real-time net worth of $1.2 billion as of 2018.” That could be one of 11 oligarchs. https://t.co/0YDytGQyA2
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2018
“Butina, age 29, and [Paul Erickson], age 56, are believed to have cohabitated and been involved in a personal relationship during the course of Butina’s activities in the United States.”#LoveWins, but also #yuck
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2018
“On at least one occasion, Butina offered an individual other than [Paul Erickson] sex in exchange for a position
within a special interest organization. […] Butina complained about living with [Erickson] and expressed disdain for continuing to cohabitate with [Erickson].”LOL
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2018
