Does anyone remember the Russian woman Maria Butina? In 2020 I created a hand drawn network chart between her and Trump just below.
Above is a re-creation from an online AI tool I used with the simple one line instruction: create a connection network between Donald Trump and Maria Butina. It is so beautiful and telling isn’t it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Butina
Maria Valerievna Butina is a Russian politician, journalist, and former political activist who currently serves as a lawmaker in the Russian State Duma representing the United Russia party. She gained international notoriety in 2018 when she was arrested and subsequently convicted in the United States for acting as an unregistered foreign agent of Russia.
🇺🇸 Infiltration Campaign & U.S. Conviction
Between 2015 and 2017, Butina carried out a covert influence operation in the United States under the direction of Alexander Torshin, a high-ranking Russian government official. Her primary objective was to establish “back-channel” lines of communication between the Kremlin and conservative American politicians.
- The Strategy: Operating on a student visa while studying at American University, Butina used her background as the founder of a Russian gun-rights group, “Right to Bear Arms,” to gain entry into prominent American conservative organizations.
- Targeting the NRA: She heavily infiltrated the National Rifle Association (NRA), attending annual conventions and networking with its top-level leadership. She leveraged these connections to organize private dinners and attend high-profile events, such as the 2017 National Prayer Breakfast, to build political bridges.
- Arrest and Sentencing: The FBI arrested Butina in July 2018. In December 2018, she signed a plea agreement admitting to one count of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. In April 2019, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
🇷🇺 Return to Russia and Political Career
After serving 15 months of her sentence (including credit for time served before sentencing), Butina was released from a Florida federal prison and immediately deported to Moscow in October 2019.
- Hero’s Welcome: Upon her arrival in Russia, the Kremlin championed her as a patriot who had been wrongly accused and mistreated by the American justice system.
- State Duma Appointment: Butina quickly transitioned into mainstream Russian politics. In October 2021, she successfully ran for office and assumed a seat as a member of parliament in the State Duma.
- Current Roles: She remains a prominent state-media media figure, producing and appearing on television programs, including her series Tyuremnyy dnevnik (“Prison Diary”). She also serves on the board of human rights groups tasked with supporting Russian citizens detained abroad.
- Stance on Ukraine: As a lawmaker, Butina is an outspoken supporter of President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, frequently echoing the Kremlin’s anti-NATO rhetoric in international interviews.
I do not know how anyone cannot comprehend the obvious connection Trump has with Russia. Time and time these connections keep coming up in:
Trump’s Conflicts of Interest in Russia
When I get the chance I’ll create a new one re-visiting the 2016 Russian Election Interference.
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