EXCLUSIVE Feds Target Butina's GOP Boyfriend as Foreign Agent

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast




Paul Erickson served as accused Kremlin spy Maria Butina’s guide as she penetrated the American conservative movement. Now he’s under investigation as a Russian agent, too.

Betsy Woodruff, Erin Banco

12.05.18 8:00 AM ET

Paul Erickson, a longtime Republican politico whose Russian girlfriend is in jail on charges she acted as a covert foreign agent, has been informed that he may face similar accusations. The Daily Beast reviewed a so-called “target letter” that federal investigators sent Erickson’s lawyer, which said they are considering bringing charges against him under Section 951 of the U.S. code—the law barring people from secretly acting as agents of foreign governments.

The letter also said the government may bring a conspiracy charge against Erickson, who is the boyfriend of accused foreign agent Maria Butina. The letter, which was sent in September by investigators working out of the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, does not accuse Erickson of any crimes or guarantee that he will face charges. If prosecutors bring the charges named in the letter, Erickson would be the first American embroiled in the 2016 Russia situation charged under a statute Justice Department lawyers describe as “espionage-lite.”

“Charging an American under 951 in the context of the Russia investigation is especially serious because that statute is generally reserved for espionage-like cases, such as intelligence-gathering on behalf of a foreign government,” said Ryan Goodman, a former Defense Department attorney who now teaches at the New York University School of Law.

“Essentially what it would say is that an American was acting to advance the interests of a foreign power, contrary to the interests of the United States of America,” said Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor.


Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/feds-target-butinas-gop-boyfriend-as-foreign-agent?ref=home

[dalton99a]

1. Figures

Maria Butina and Paul Erickson, posted to FB 2013.11.01.

[2naSalit]

6. Man...

there had to be a big payoff for her in the end. She had to sleep with that guy! And then, to think about Melanoma... I need some mind bleach...

[ToxMarz]

9. Yeah, she took one for the team

[Polly Hennessey]

11. That shirt alone

should ensure he is arrested.

[NCjack]

14. Maria gave that shirt to Paul. nt

[vlyons]

2. What was Butina focused on?

Guns. The NRA. What was she doing with the NRA? Hooking up gun advocates with Russian oligarchs. How much money did the Russians give the NRA's political PAC? How much of the NRA money flowed downstream to the Rep Senate Campaign Committee?

I'm guessing that the mystery investigation not revealed in the Flynn memo has to do with the Russian infiltrating the NRA. What do you think?

[Botany]

5. Funny how the NRA has all but gone bankrupt now that the FBI started to look @ ....

.... the Russia/NRA money connection.

[2naSalit]

7. and they sure are quiet lately...nt

[lagomorph777]

10. That's a very good guess. I think #NRAROUBLES is the underreported story in all of this.

The NRA has caused vast and tragic damage to America, especially in recent years, because of massive funding from Putin. Time to dismantle them.

[volstork]

13. The new senator from Tennessee

is deeply implicated in making the Russian/NRA connection. Hoping this will lead to her ouster as well.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/07/23/the-nra-connection-a-problem-for-the-gop-in-the-midterms/?utm_term=.0554cdd934a2

Amid ongoing probes into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, one Nashville attorney is gaining notice for his relationship to a Russian banker with Kremlin ties.

G. Kline Preston, IV, a graduate of the Nashville School of Law, has authored books about Russian regulations, and has represented clients in Russia, Ukraine, Canada, Cuba and England.

Among Preston’s Russian clients and longtime friends is Alexander Torshin, a prominent Russian politician who has close ties to President Vladimir Putin. Torshin is under scrutiny for illegally channeling Russian funds to the National Rifle Association in an effort to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Preston first introduced Torshin to then-president of the NRA David Keene in 2011 and the pair attended the NRA’s annual convention in Nashville in 2015.

And Preston is a friend and confidant of Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn), who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Bob Corker (R). Blackburn reportedly also met with Torshin in 2012.

BLackburn (unfortunately) won her bid for Corker's seat last month. Hoping the albatross is firmly tethered around her neck...

[Cheviteau]

19. I Think You Are Correct

Ans.: $15,000,000. Of which $2,500,000 went to McConnell's Senate PAC.

[UpInArms]

3. Methinks most of the Republicans currently in office

Are kompromised

[Achilleaze]

4. Frikken republicans are expert at sex, lying, stealing & treason

[vlyons]

8. Well if Mueller has the goods on the NRA

that might mean that once revealed, we can legislate some sensible gun laws. A side benefit that a lot of Republicans getting huge NRA donations will be publicly tarnished. Here's the toprecipients of NRA money

http://fortune.com/2018/02/15/nra-contributions-politicians-senators/

[lagomorph777]

12. The Reptilian Party accepted massive quantities of #NRAROUBLES. They will pay dearly for treason.

[erronis]

15. Here's hoping that is the case.

[elmac]

16. "American was acting to advance the interests of a foreign power" hell, tRump and his fellow fascist

party does this every day.

[dlk]

17. The NRA Funnelled Large Amounts of Money to Various Republican Candidates

I wonder, how much of it was Russian money?

[niyad]

18. "The Maria Butina Song (I Can Get A Man With A Gun)" Sandy and Richard Riccardi

[calimary]

20. Lock him up.

[Power 2 the People]

22. +1

[Scurrilous]

21. K&R

[SunSeeker]

23. Did this numbnuts loser think she wanted him for his looks?

[Blue Owl]

24. Paul Erickson reporting for Butina call

n/t