At the airport, Butina tells a group of journos that “Russians don’t surrender,” apparently forgetting that she pleaded guilty to a felony in the US and testified against Alexander Torshin, which got him booted out of Russia’s Central Bank. pic.twitter.com/O8a3SfdZdE
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) October 26, 2019
NEW: Maria Butina Receives Hero’s Welcome in Moscow https://t.co/6ZjkYPQ6Fv
My latest for @thedailybeast
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) October 26, 2019
One day you’re the NRA’s top pin-up girl, the next you’re (allegedly) fighting for food in an American prison:
… Eagerly anticipating Butina’s impending liberation, Russian state media outlets expected to live-stream her release, but U.S. authorities had other plans. Having traveled to the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution from Atlanta, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, Russian state TV stringers were stranded for hours filming traffic, building exits and geese on the lawn. Meanwhile, Butina was quietly whisked out of the facility and transferred to the custody of ICE for a speedy deportation back to Russia…
Appearing on 60 Minutes—the most popular news talk show in Russia—the correspondent of Russia’s state-TV channel Rossiya-24 Valentin Bogdanov pointed out that the Western media no longer dares to call Butina a spy. “They’re being careful,” Bogdanov said, speculating that media outlets are afraid of being sued for using the wrong language. In the Kremlin-controlled Russian media, Butina is being described mainly in glowing terms…
Working at the direction of a Russian government official, Alexander Torshin, Butina infiltrated Republican political circles and the National Rifle Association around the time of the 2016 election in order to promote Russian interests. In September of 2019, an investigation by Senate Democrats determined that the NRA has acted as a “foreign asset” in providing Russian officials access to US political organizations.
In court documents, prosecutors argued that Butina’s efforts had the hallmarks of a Russian espionage operation, suggesting that she was acting as a “spotter” by identifying people who have the ability to influence policy in Russia’s favor, as a set of targets Russian spies could potentially cultivate. Investigators from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team questioned Butina on only one occasion for approximately an hour. Her name was left out of the final version of the Special Counsel’s redacted report. Many questions about the full scope of Maria Butina’s activities in the United States remain unanswered…
There is little doubt that Maria Butina will be actively used by Russian state media for anti-American propaganda. Butina also has other plans. In April, she told CNN that she might start tutoring Russian students who want to study in America.
Maria Butina says she has no plans to return to the US at the moment for personal safety reasons. She has been deported for committing a felony and would never be allowed back. https://t.co/SIWzvRsdtu
— X Soviet (@XSovietNews) October 26, 2019
On the surface, but historically Russia has always assumed that those jailed abroad may have been recruited while in custody, and they have met unpleasant fates on their return. https://t.co/6Gf0SdIS5r
— X Soviet (@XSovietNews) October 26, 2019
Putin expects others to be like him and keep someone in prison until an exchange is agreed. Maria Butina was released even before the end of her sentence, so Putin has no need to offer Paul Whelan in return. For him people are just bargaining chips. https://t.co/vo6YQtb8HI
— X Soviet (@XSovietNews) October 26, 2019
Why would Alexander Malkevich (left), the editor of one of the Internet Research Agency’s disinformation websites aimed at the United States be meeting Maria Butina with flowers at the Moscow airport? Sure looks like him. https://t.co/12P70I5u05
— Mike Walker (@New_Narrative) October 26, 2019
Late Night Open Thread: <em>Au Revoir</em>, Little Red SparrowPost + Comments (33)