Russian Gun-Rights Advocate Arrested in D.C.

Russian gun-rights activist Mariia Butina was arrested Sunday in Washington, D.C. She has been charged with acting as an agent of the Russian Federation.

Butina, according to the indictment, acted as a front for a Russian gun advocacy group called The Right to Bear Arms - which is a bit of a joke, since there are no rights to bear arms in Russia. Butina has been attending graduate school in international relations at American University, and recently received a graduate degree.

The Department of Justice press release explains the charges:

“ … [F]rom as early as 2015 and continuing through at least February 2017, Butina worked at the direction of a high-level official in the Russian government who was previously a member of the legislature of the Russian Federation and later became a top official at the Russian Central Bank.  This Russian official was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control in April 2018.
“The court filings detail the Russian official’s and Butina’s efforts for Butina to act as an agent of Russia inside the United States by developing relationships with U.S. persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics, for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation. The filings also describe certain actions taken by Butina to further this effort during multiple visits from Russia and, later, when she entered and resided in the United States on a student visa. The filings allege that she undertook her activities without officially disclosing the fact that she was acting as an agent of Russian government, as required by law.”

Butina was a very active proponent of gun rights in the U.S., attending numerous events sponsored by the National Rifle Association. She has been a longtime associate of Aleksandr Torshin, former chairman of the Russian Federation Council. Torshin met with  Donald Trump Jr. at a private dinner during the May 2016 N.R.A. convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Torshin may be the “official of the Russian Federation” mentioned in the indictment.

The indictment mentions that Butina attempted to exploit relationships with “U.S. persons having influence in American politics in an effort to advance the interests of the Russian Federation.” One of those persons may be Paul Erickson, a GOP operative who has bragged about advising Trump. Butina and Torshin met with officials of the NRA and Republican politicians, included many who have been vocally supportive of Donald Trump.

Tim Mak profiled Butina for The Daily Beast in February 2017.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-kremlin-and-gop-have-a-new-friendand-boy-does-she-love-guns

Denise Clifton and Mark Follman, in the May/June 2018 edition of Mother Jones, about Butina and her ties to the Trump campaign and the Trump administration.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/trump-russia-nra-connection-maria-butina-alexander-torshin-guns/

Talking Points Memo has gathered photos of NRA officials and Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin posing with Butina and Torshin. Both Butina and Torshin are life members of the NRA.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/maria-butina-photos-nra-leaders-gop

The Department of Justice press release can be read here.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/russian-national-charged-conspiracy-act-agent-russian-federation-within-united-states

The indictment can be read here.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1080761/download

An affadavit from FBI special agent Kevin Helson can be read here.
​https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1080766/download

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