Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #BUTINA

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#BREAKING Maria #BUTINA has been sentenced to 18 MONTHS in prison for conspiring to act as an agent for the Russian government in the United States (she will get credit for the 9 months she's already served) via @ZoeTillman
#BREAKING Judge sentences Russian activist Maria #BUTINA to 18 monthsā€”the maximumā€”for conspiring to infiltrate US conservative political groups, including the @NRA, failing to register as a foreign agent working in Russiaā€™s interests washingtonpost.com/local/legal-isā€¦
"This was not a simple misunderstanding by an overeager foreign student"ā€”Judge at sentencing states #Butina was gathering info on Americans who could influence US policy & relaying that info to Russian official to benefit the RU govtā€”as #Russia was interfering in US electionsā¬‡ļø
Read 6 tweets
In NEW sentencing memo on Maria BUTINA, prosecutors seek 24 month sentence, saying tho not a traditional spy, her deception as an "access" agent, identifying vulnerable networks and individuals for Russia's spies to conduct influence operations, was integral to her crime.
Correction: Prosecutors ask for an 18-month sentence for Russian agent Maria #Butina, a downward departure from the 24 months recommended in the sentencing guidelines because of her cooperation assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5972ā€¦ via @ZoeTillman
This thread has a link to an article by @KirkseniyaSF discussing #Butina serving as an "access" agent for Russia's trained spies
Read 3 tweets
The NRA Embraced Russiaā€™s Maria Butinaā€”Even As She Worked to Arm Anti-American Thugs Who Seized Crimea From Ukraine - ā¦@MotherJonesā© motherjones.com/politics/2019/ā€¦
ā€¼ļøAs NRA welcomed #Butina, she was aiding Putin's military takeover Crimea. Right after March 2014 invasion & annexation, Butina denounced sanctions & went to Crimea to promote arming militants who seized Crimean "pro-American" news outletā€”repurposing it for Kremlin propaganda.
The day Obama announced sanctions (March 17, 2014) after Putin's military used an illegal referendum to declare Crimea part of Russiaā€”#Butina warned that US sanctions would ā€œbankrupt the Russian arms industry." She then mobilized to support & arm separatist "Crimean Front" thugs.
Read 11 tweets
NEW: Torshin's "tantalizing offer" to Butina's boyfriend Erickson, setting up NRA trip to Moscow: to meet Putin. Erickson said the trip could have ā€œenormous diplomatic consequences.ā€ (Nov 2015ā€”just months before Russia's election attack went full throttle) thedailybeast.com/nra-heavyweighā€¦
>> NRA Backchannel to Russia: Butina's boyfriend Erickson emailed NRA pres Keene saying NRA trip to Moscow could help ease relations between Russia & the US "by creating a way for the Kremlin to connect with a future Republican president." PM Rogozin & even Lavrov met w/ them.
How many backchannels to Russia did Trump have/need?? Kushner, Jr/Agalarovs, Manafort, Prince, Cohen/Sater, Flynn, Stone, NRAā€¦ šŸ¤ÆRepublicans wanted a backchannel to our adversary, who invaded its neighbor, shot down civilian airliner MH17, annexed a chunk of Europeā€¼ļø#Maddow
Read 5 tweets
Call it what it is: Paul Whelan is a hostage of Putinā€™s lawless state. See my previous Tweets on this topic. Russian lawmakers have been openly brainstorming on state TV about arresting ANY Americans in retaliation for #Butina.
#Russia
Here is a statement from Paulā€™s family:
Read 4 tweets
1. @maddow I looked at the Maria #Butina docket. No 71 that you addressed was followed by three other sealed documents. Usually motions are a single number with sub-parts so quite possibly these are substantive filings. Superseding indictment comes to mind. @Lawrence @Maddowbog Butina docket excerpt
2. I would look at Butina indictment and find a class of co-conspirators who might be charged. NRA possible. But we know she was really good at making friends in high places. šŸ˜Ž
3. I noticed that one of the missing documents was likely the December 17 minute order that this filing addressed. That was sealed but I guess after the errant disclosure in 71 they filed this in the clear.
Read 4 tweets
#BREAKING Maria Butina pleads guiltyā€”the first Russian national convicted of trying to influence US policy during the 2016 election. She infiltrated top American political circles using guns (NRA), religion and Republicans. washingtonpost.com/news/politics/ā€¦
Maria #Butina pleads guilty to engaging in conspiracy against US - CNNPolitics cnn.com/2018/12/13/polā€¦
"Butina sought to establish unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over US politics." She infiltrated the NRA & religious groups to bolster Russian interests. She said in court today she acted "under direction of" a Russian official (Torshin).
Read 7 tweets
There's always more >> Accused spy Maria #Butina turned on her Russian charm to secure Russian jet fuel deal with David Keene, NRA president & prominent leader of the conservative movement, his lobbyist wife, & her boyfriend Erickson ā€” The New York Times nytimes.com/2018/09/02/us/ā€¦
THREAD on sloppy NYT piece on #Butina. See @john_sipher who says she's not a professional spy but an 'access agent teeing up fools for Russia to compromise.' She develops access & provides targeting information to the professionals, so they know who's vulnerable, who to go after.
@john_sipher There are spies and there are spies. Russia has a dizzying array of intelligence agents, special services & proxies, formal professionals & informal agents like Maria #Butina. @KirkseniyaSF reviews some of the nuances in @KyivPost kyivpost.com/article/opinioā€¦ cc @SethAbramson @nytimes
Read 4 tweets
So Maria #Butina also hit up JD Gordon, Trump campaign natsec adviser who notably changed GOP platform on Ukraine to pro-Russia position. (Erickson sounds like her handler and pimp in this WaPo story about her final weeks of 2016 campaign) washingtonpost.com/politics/trumpā€¦
JD Gordon once said Trump campaign was too disorganized to collude with Russians. Yet he fell right into Butina's honey pot. As I've said before, disorganized and stupid coupled w/ desperation is precisely what made team Trump easy prey for Russian spies.
A simple google search would make you wonder about #Butina. Gun rights are an absurdity in Russia, where more basic rights are lacking. She hangs with Torshin, a Kremlin banker w/ mob ties. But instead of calling FBI, Trump aide Gordon invites her to drinks & a Styx concert (yup)
Read 3 tweets
What a Russian disinformation campaign looks like: gaslighting, lies, whataboutism and the requisite FU trollingā€”to deny, distract, dismay. #Butina is literally now the face of Kremlin MFA. Complete w/ hashtag #FreeMariaButinaā€”while Russia jails political prisonersĀ”!#FreeSentsov
btw This crazy "#FreeMariaButina" disinformation campaign advanced directly from the Russian Foreign Ministry kinda proves US was right to argue Russian diplomats might scoop her up, making her a flight risk. Kudos to prosecutors & judge for the right call rferl.org/a/guns-sex-andā€¦
Maria Butina gets around. Before her gig infiltrating NRA & Republicans, she pushed Russian propaganda in E Ukraine to promote Russia's invasion. At 2014 Donbas rally she trashed new Kyiv govt & said ppl should support "separatists" enigma.ua/articles/krasnā€¦
Read 5 tweets
šŸ’£OurPearlHarboršŸ’£

Putinā€™s Attack on the U.S. Is Our Pearl Harbor

Make no mistake: Hacking the 2016 election was an act of war. Itā€™s time we responded accordingly.

Former CIA Dir John Brennan called Trumpā€™s performance in Helinski "nothing short of treasonous."
šŸ’£OurPearlHarbor2šŸ’£

45 sold out his country to RU, then proudly affirmed it, live on camera. Ā 

A former intel agency chief just asked, "If the RUs didn't write 45ā€™s talking points, how could you tell?"

Trump called the US invā€™n of the interference ā€œa disaster for our country.ā€
šŸ’£OurPearlHarbor2šŸ’£3

Comey: This was the day an US POTUS stood on foreign soil next to a murderous lying thug and refused to back his own country. Patriots need to stand up and reject the behavior of this president.

Trump sides with Putin & GRU over US interests, our CIA & DOJ
Read 73 tweets

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