**Maria Butina claims she had a signed cooperation agreement w/the NRA!

[Roland99]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[shanny]

1. OK. I'm going to say something a little out of left field here.

When all is said and done, it may be seen that pooty-poot and the oligarchs have done us a favor: all their interference and r@tfcking may just sink tRump and his putrid family, the NRA and the GoPee...in one fell swoop. Maybe the backlash will even topple our oligarchs and wannabees. Maybe some much needed reforms will be pushed through. Certainly a lot of people are sitting up and taking notice and perhaps the downward trajectory we have been on since (in my view) the late 60s is about to reverse course. Maybe.

Assuming we pull through this (still a big "if" imo) the Republic may emerge stronger than before and WAY cleaner.

[Roland99]

4. I read earlier (but didn't have time to verify) that RT was posting articles supporting her

I’ve had a gut feel she was the poison pill / delayed release political bomb that would burn the GOP/NRA/Trump bridges if sanctions were not lifted

[shanny]

8. That sounds very, very likely.

I have said all along that there is no way Putin would welcome tRump et al / give them asylum etc. if everything goes pearshaped on this side--he's a tool, not a friend or ally--but it makes even more sense that punishment would be meted out as well. And if the sole purpose was to weaken, disrupt and distract...it's a double feature.

[flibbitygiblets]

9. It seems that Plan A was to get sanctions lifted; failing that, throw them under the bus

Because Chaos was always Plan B. What was it that Khruschev who said "we will destroy you from within"?

[shanny]

19. +1 nt

[PeeJ52]

10. Then again...

Perhaps only a few little guys will take the fall and it will continue on business as usual. Both parties have had ample chances to fix Citizens United yet they refuse. I think they like the money in politics. I think now they may like foreign money in politics even more. This new Congress will tell us a lot. If we see our rising young stars drifting to the dark side too, we can hang it up...

[Merlot]

12. "Both parties have had ample chances to fix Citizens United?" Huh?

[GulfCoast66]

13. I'm calling Bullshit.

Please explain how the Democratic Party has ample chances to fix citizens united?

[groundloop]

17. I'm calling double bullshit..... 'both parties' have NOT had a chance to fix Citizens United

The Democratic party would have needed to have been in control of both the Senate and House as well as the White House, we're still waiting for that opportunity.

BOTH parties are NOT the same, quit pushing that lame talking point.

[GulfCoast66]

20. Why are you yelling at me? I just made the same point.

This both parties are the same bullshit has no place on DU.

[fierywoman]

6. I like this way of thinking of this horror.

[H2O Man]

2. Recommended.

Very important.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[Hekate]

5. Kick and Rec

[UpInArms]

7. Full story at MotherJones

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/12/maria-butina-nra-signed-cooperation-agreement-2013-israel/

[BigmanPigman]

11. Malcom Nance said that Russia does this all the time.

They "throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks". Meaning that they have been doing this for at least 18 years and they didn't care whether or not the left or the right took the bait. This was BEFORE sanctions. Putin is pissed at losing their former Soviet status and wanted to harm the US. He will keep doing it. The GOP happened to take the bait this last time. They groom morons like tRump constantly too.

Putin and Russia must be stopped permanently.

[duforsure]

14. I've wondered...

...If she asked trump on that tape of her was a set up with trump knowing she would be there to ask him that question all along. Was that planned for him showing that he was involved much more than thought before?

[OnDoutside]

18. Maybe in coordination with Erickson ?

[Oldtimeralso]

15. NRA

Not
Real
Americans

How much of the NRA monies (almost all given to GOP's)was Putin's?

[SergeStorms]

16. How I'd love to see...

that gruesome asshat, Wayne LaPierre, wind up in a cell alongside the Trumps, Kushner, and all of their fawning criminal sycophants. That would make me a very happy man!