Russia Wants Her Spy Back
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In an intelligence coup, U.S. authorities arrested Mariia Butina, a Russian advocate for firearms ownership simply known as Maria.
In a criminal complaint that led to her indictment, the Justice Department accused her of secretly infiltrating American electoral politics as a foreign agent working on behalf of Russia and engaged in an anti-U.S. conspiracy.
In addition, numerous media reports allege that Butina illegally helped funnel Russian money into Donald Trump’s presidential campaign through the National Rifle Association.
The young Russian gun enthusiast had twice applied for visas to attend the National Rifle Association’s glitzy annual meeting. But she said she was twice denied. How dare they deny her? Don’t they know who she is? Maybe.
Finally, in 2013, the NRA came to Moscow and met her fledgling Russian gun rights group. Soon after, Butina was headed to the United States, visa and marching orders in hand. She was a successful Russian spy, and her handlers were pleased, at least until her recent arrest.
Now, Russia wants their spy back, and Trump’s recent sycophantic supplications at the feet of Vladimir Putin have made that likely to happen. During the 2-hour “private” meeting there’s no telling what Trump promised the Russian dictator. Will he, at any moment now, order the release of Maria Butina? How much does she know? How much would she reveal to an anxious and curious public?
Here’s the summary:
The week of Russia whiplash continues, with Moscow now demanding the release of a Russian woman accused of being a covert spy, reports the New York Times.Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the request Saturday during a phone call to counterpart Mike Pompeo in which he “stressed that the actions of the US authorities that arrested Russian citizen [Maria] Butina on fabricated charges are unacceptable,” per a Russian statement picked up by RT. Lavrov further called for her “immediate release,” though the Times calls that possibility “unlikely.” Russia is also mounting a social media campaign to draw awareness to Butina’s plight, using #FreeMariaButina.
Note the Times said Butina’s “immediate release” was unlikely, but not beyond the realm of practicality, as it would have been under any president; any president but Trump that is, because this reckless, uninformed fool is likely to promise anything, do anything, to make Putin happy. Anyone care to wonder why?
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Lock her up! Lock her up!
And this one they might. Of course Trump will then pardon her to suit his Russian master.