New Senate Report accuses NRA of being a "foreign asset" for Russia during the 2016 election.

[The Romulan Republic]

https://npr.org/2019/09/27/764879242/nr ... rt-reveals

The National Rifle Association acted as a "foreign asset" for Russia in the period leading up to the 2016 election, according to a new investigation unveiled Friday by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

Drawing on contemporaneous emails and private interviews, an 18-month probe by the Senate Finance Committee's Democratic staff found that the NRA underwrote political access for Russian nationals Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin more than previously known — even though the two had declared their ties to the Kremlin.

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The report, available here, also describes how closely the gun rights group was involved with organizing a 2015 visit by some of its leaders to Moscow.

Then-NRA vice president Pete Brownell, who would later become NRA president, was enticed to visit Russia with the promise of personal business opportunities — and the NRA covered a portion of the trip's costs.

The conclusions of the Senate investigation could have legal implications for the NRA, Wyden says.

Tax-exempt organizations are barred from using funds for the personal benefit of its officials or for actions significantly outside their stated missions. The revelations in the Senate report raise questions about whether the NRA could face civil penalties or lose its tax-exempt status.

The National Rifle Association called the report "politically motivated," and suggested that the 2015 Moscow trip was not an official NRA trip.

"An avalanche of proof confirms that the NRA, as an organization, was never involved in the activities about which the Democrats write," said William A. Brewer III, counsel to the NRA.

Continued Brewer: "This report goes to great lengths to try to involve the NRA in activities of private individuals and create the false impression that the NRA did not act appropriately. Nothing could be further from the truth."

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Attorneys general in the state of New York and the District of Columbia are conducting separate probes into alleged wrongdoing at the gun rights organization. These probes have a broader scope than the Senate report, which focuses on Russia.


Majority response: This is overblown

The Republican majority on the Senate Finance Committee, which was consulted periodically throughout the Democrats' investigation, said Friday the report was overblown.

In the Republicans' analysis of Wyden's report, the majority argued that it does not account for U.S.-Russia relations at the time and contains "much conclusory innuendo... and repeatedly attempts to paint a picture that does not exist."

The Republicans also argued that if the NRA committed any infractions, they would be small and do not put the NRA's tax-exempt status at risk.

"To the extent NRA funds were used improperly in any facts discussed in the [Democratic report led by Wyden], it appears to have been minor, hardly a rounding error for an organization with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year and nothing that cannot be corrected with minor intermediate sanctions," the Republican analysis states.

Kremlin links were clear

Wyden's 77-page report centers on Butina — a convicted Russian agent now in federal prison — and Torshin, a former Russian government official who has been sanctioned by the United States.

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The report indicates that top NRA officials were aware of Butina's and Torshin's links with the Kremlin even as they sought to work more closely together under the banner of gun rights.

In an email later circulated to two senior NRA staff members, Butina wrote that a purpose of the 2015 Moscow trip was that "many powerful figures in the Kremlin are counting on Torshin to prove his American connections" by showing he could bring prominent NRA officials to Russia.

At another point, Butina suggested to participants on the 2015 NRA trip to Russia that she might be able to set up a meeting between them and President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as "Russia's highest leader."

NRA facilitated political access

Despite these declarations about their ties to the Russian government, NRA officials paid for and facilitated Torshin and Butina's introduction into American political organizations.

Butina and Torshin received access to Republican Party officials at NRA events.

It was a explicit interest expressed by Butina: In one 2015 email to an NRA employee, Butina wrote, "is there a list of U.S. governors or members of Congress that might be present at some time during the [NRA] annual meeting?"

The employee responded with a list.

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The NRA also helped them forge connections with groups such as the Council for National Policy, the National Prayer Breakfast, the National Sporting Goods Wholesalers Association and Safari Club International.

"NRA resources appear to have been used to pay for membership and registration fees to third party events for [Torshin and Butina] as well as to arrange for transit to and lodging for many of those events throughout 2015 and 2016," the report states.

Report contradicts NRA denials

The Senate report notes that in 2018, then-NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch repeatedly denied that the group leaders' 2015 trip to Moscow was sanctioned by the gun rights group.

But in a letter obtained by the committee, then-NRA President Allan Cors wrote to Torshin on NRA letterhead after consulting with NRA staff and former NRA President David Keene.

Cors designated two NRA figures to lead the trip: "Dave Keene and [top NRA donor] Joe Gregory will represent the NRA and our five million members better than anyone else," he wrote.

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During the course of the investigation, Brownell's lawyer also told the committee that Brownell believed the trip was an official NRA event.

This view is further strengthened by the committee's evidence that NRA staff prepared itineraries, gathered briefing materials, applied for tourist visas, paid for some of the travel expenses, and provided the delegation with NRA gifts to give to Russian officials.

The gun rights group said on Friday afternoon that it was not an official NRA trip.

"Certain NRA members made the trip of their own accord. The record reflects it was not an official NRA trip," said Andrew Arulanandam, the NRA's managing director of public affairs. "NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre was opposed to it and, at his directive, no NRA staff members or employees attended."

The Senate investigation found evidence that the NRA tried to hide various payments related to the trip.

Brownell covered approximately $21,000 in expenses related to the trip; in June 2016, the NRA reimbursed Brownell just over $21,000.

After questions were raised about the trip in 2018, Brownell paid the NRA $17,000 — a transaction that Brownell's lawyer told the committee was requested by the NRA as a way of "getting the trip off the NRA's books."

NRA leaders sought business opportunities

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The Senate investigation concludes that a number of NRA figures on the 2015 trip traveled to Russia "primarily or solely for the purpose of advancing personal business interests, rather than advancing the NRA's tax-exempt purpose."

Brownell, then a vice president of the NRA, is the CEO of a major firearms supplier bearing his last name.

In an email to a staffer at his business, Brownell described his trip as "an opportunity to be hosted in Russia to broaden our business opportunities ... to introduce our company to the governing individuals throughout Russia."

"The NRA directly facilitated Brownell's effort to travel to Moscow early to explore business opportunities with Russian weapons manufacturers," the report concludes.

Another member of the trip, NRA donor and then-Outdoor Channel CEO Jim Liberatore, told the Senate committee through his lawyer that his participation in the 2015 Moscow trip was "purely commercial."

Wyden seeks IRS probe

Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said at the conclusion of his investigation that his staff had revealed information that shows that the National Rifle Association may have abused its tax-exempt status.

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The next step, he says, is for the IRS to launch its own inquiry.

"The totality of evidence uncovered during my investigation, as well as the mounting evidence of rampant self-dealing, indicate the NRA may have violated tax laws," Wyden said. "The IRS needs to examine these findings and investigate other publicly reported incidents of potential lawbreaking."

I'm sure the Kremlin has the most benevolent reasons for propping up a group who's mission is to make guns more easily accessible even to criminal, deranged, and extremist Americans...

[Solauren]

Now, the big question is; what happens if the upper levels of the NRA knew they were being supported by Russia, and just didn't care?

[Darth Yan]

This is just the latest in a long line of assholery from the NRA. It's not even really a shock at this point.

If they knew their supporters would spin it regardless

[MKSheppard]

We know. I posted extensively on it elsewhere.

https://assets.documentcloud.org/docume ... zation.pdf
Report in question.

Tl;dr:

Democrats in the Senate just released a report that makes mentions of NRA and Brownells document releases to courts regarding the 2015 NRA trip to Russia. Naturally, the report only has snippets of the original source documents which make NRA and Brownell's look bad; instead of having a detailed appendix with copies of everything.

Basically, the Democrats want to use this as a way to attack the NRA's tax exempt status as a charity and once that's been revoked; charge the NRA for back taxes since it's not a charity, which will be used to bankrupt it and shut it down.

Their argument for "not a charity" is that NRA peeps met with people who were on the state department official sanctions list from 2014 Obama Executive Orders that were done after the invasion of Ukraine and the seizure of crimea.

Basically, if you are in the Russian Defense industry, chances are you're in that sanctions list, somehow.

Russian defense industry also makes private small arms for export.

Russia is marginally corrupt -- it's in between western europe's low corruption level and third world high level corruption; so if you want to do things related to munitions export; some skids may have to be greased.

Basically, NRA and Brownells picked a bad time to go to Russia; a year after Obama's sanctions on the Russian small arms industry and one year before REEEEEEEE RUSSIA REEEE began in 2016-present.

If they had gone in say 2012, nobody would have cared, I think.

[MKSheppard]

I'm sure the Kremlin has the most benevolent reasons for propping up a group who's mission is to make guns more easily accessible even to criminal, deranged, and extremist Americans...

This may shock you, TRR; but there are many reasons to go visit Russia if you're the NRA.

I also love the attention they give to Torshin.

I actually follow Torshin's twitter at:

https://twitter.com/torshin_ru

It's an interesting mix of:

A.) Russia stuff that only a Russian would easily 'get'
B.) Dog Stuff, there's apparently an ad for a Russian Humane Society thing
C.) Gun stuff, which is universal.

In fact, one of Torshin's gun tweets is an embed of what appears to be a Russian AK-74M torture test on youtube:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F2CVO8KI9Q[/youtube]

Lots of "outsiders" don't understand how tightly integrated with government (or political groups) that the firearms industry is across the world.

Even here in the US; you have lots of overlap between commercial/military sales (Colt used to have a chain link fence running down their factory, separating the commercial side from the military contract side); and you have constant contact with BATFE and State Department over ITAR for exports; as everyone else wants US stuff (i.e. PMAGs).

Likewise, if you want to import a new gun from overseas to the US; you have to clear it with not only the US Government, but that nation's government as well -- German Export laws are why most HK stuff never shows up in the US.

Random stuff I noticed in the report:

Butina Said:

Several of the special events that I have arranged for your delegation were granted to us only because was leading the American delegation. Audiences with high government officials and a private tour of a tank farm owned by a Russian oligarch (for example) were offered to us because the current leader of the NRA was leading this very important delegation.

Basically, the NRA president at the time was Alan Coors, who owns a huge ass Tank Museum in Virginia -- I was there for their 2019 open house.

So; this part was billionaire dick waving contests -- "Look at my tank farm! Look how great it is! How's yours, by the way?"

Basically, NRA met with these guys in Russia:

• Evgeny Lukyanov, deputy secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation
• Sergey Lavrov, Russian diplomat and foreign minister of Russia
• Igor Shchyogolev, special assistant to President Putin
• Dmitry Rogozin, deputy prime minister
• Sergei Lisowski, Russian senator
• Sergey Yastrzhembsky, former Putin spokesman
• Konstantin Nikolaev, Russian energy and transportation oligarch and reported Butina financier
• Pavel Gusev, Russian media oligarch
• Vadim Zadorozhny, Russian real estate oligarch
• Igor Pisarsky, Russian public relations figure and reported Butina and Nikolaev intermediary
• Mikhail Degtyarev, editor-in-chief of Kalashnikov Concern entity “Kalashnikov Magazine”

So how did Brownells and the NRA get around the Obama Era EOs on meeting with Rogozin, who was "Sanctioned"?

Rogozin was chairman of the Russian Practical Shooting Federation; the Russian IPSC branch.

So Brownells and the NRA toured the RPSF HQ and met Rogozin there, on the RPSF's gun range; thus not violating Obama's EO's since they were not meeting Rogozin in his capacity as deputy PM, but as chairman of a fellow shooting sports organization.

As for Pavel Gusev -- in addition to owning 84 newspapers, he owns all six of the largest hunting magazines in Russia. The NRA meeting with the guy who owns the Russian equivalent of Guns & Ammo? Inconceivable!

As part of Obama's sanctions, you're not supposed to bring gifts or anything for people under sanctions. Kalashnikov concern was sanctioned.

The NRA went and had an hour long interview with Michael Degtyarev, the editor-in-chief of the Kalashnikov in house magazine “Kalashnikov Magazine” and they also brought small gifts for Degtyarev.

They also visited Molot-Oruzhie (Kalashnikov and Rostec subsidiary). Molot makes some fine tactical shotguns.

Also -- Konstantin Nikolaev, Russian energy and transportation oligarch and reported Butina financier? His wife Svetlana is a board member of Tula Cartridge Works, and he's also part owner of Tula Cartridge Works. Tula makes massive quantities of cheap steel case ammunition which is imported into the USA for target shooting.

The NRA delegation also toured manufacturing facilities for Russian weapons manufacturer Orsis and subsequently appeared in the company’s promotional materials. This was noteworthy because Svetlana Nikolaev (remember her?) is president of Promtechnologies, which owns Orsis. Orsis basically makes long range target shooting rifles, as well as rimfire rifles used for target shooting.

etc.

[MKSheppard]

Also

Vadim Zadorozhny, Russian real estate oligarch linked to a $20 billion money-laundering scheme discovered by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), “a highly respected independent collective of investigative reporters, which is part-funded by the US Department of State.”

He's the one who owns/runs the Vadim Zadorozhny Military Museum near Moscow, Russia



Man, Oligarchs have it made there.

Also, isn't it funny how everyone in Russia is either described as an oligarch, or "shady", yet it takes me only about 30 seconds or less of googling to figure out why the NRA is meeting with them?

[The Romulan Republic]

So I see Sheppard's on the "Collusion Denial/insinuate everyone who isn't is Russophobic" bandwagon. Not surprised.

No lie too dark, no act too traitorous, as long as it protects the one article of the Constitution you actually care about, eh?

Yeah, there are legitimate reasons to do business in Russia. No one's denying that. What we do have a problem with, you pathetic shill for mass murder, is the NRA giving access to politicians in exchange for money, and violating its tax-exempt status (both things its been accused of here).

[aerius]

I'm sure the Kremlin has the most benevolent reasons for propping up a group who's mission is to make guns more easily accessible even to criminal, deranged, and extremist Americans...

This may shock you, TRR; but there are many reasons to go visit Russia if you're the NRA.

I also love the attention they give to Torshin.

I actually follow Torshin's twitter at:

https://twitter.com/torshin_ru

It's an interesting mix of:

A.) Russia stuff that only a Russian would easily 'get'
B.) Dog Stuff, there's apparently an ad for a Russian Humane Society thing
C.) Gun stuff, which is universal.

etc.

The interesting part here is there's a legitimate reason for each meeting, and they even arranged things in a such a way that it gets around potential sanctions & legal grey areas. Everything was carefully planned so that there's nothing outright illegal, and there's a plausible, legit legal cover for each meeting.

Now does that mean that everything was kosher and above the table? I doubt it. But, good luck proving it unless someone can come up with the recordings & transcripts of any allegedly illegal conversations or actions. You run into the same problems as the rest of the Russia hysteria, you can't prove it to the standard required to actually make charges stick.

[MKSheppard]

What we do have a problem with, you pathetic shill for mass murder, is the NRA giving access to politicians in exchange for money, and violating its tax-exempt status (both things its been accused of here).

I don't see money being exchanged here; other than "reimburse me for costs incurred during visits" begging from Butina.

This may come as a shock but you did know that Russia at one point was planning to use exports of Kalashnikov rifles to the USA to fund their own small arms modernization? Basically, for every AK-74M built in Kalashnikov concern and exported to the USA, the profits would help produce an AK-12 for the Russian military.

Obama's sanctions killed that plan; and also impacted sport shooters.

In 2010, it cost $120~ for a single can of 1080 rounds of sealed 7N6 5.45x39 from Russian surplus stockpiles; or 0.11 cents per round. So cheap in fact, you could afford to blast away all day and then simply run hot water over your gun; and who cared if it rusted from corrosive 7N6? Just buy another AK at $400 bucks.

Plus, you had fine Saiga 12 gauge sporting shotguns being imported.

I'd say both US and Russian shooters have strong incentives, both business and sporting, for russian small arms imports to resume.

But of course RUSSIAN COLLUSION REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[The Romulan Republic]

What we do have a problem with, you pathetic shill for mass murder, is the NRA giving access to politicians in exchange for money, and violating its tax-exempt status (both things its been accused of here).

I don't see money being exchanged here; other than "reimburse me for costs incurred during visits" begging from Butina.

This may come as a shock but you did know that Russia at one point was planning to use exports of Kalashnikov rifles to the USA to fund their own small arms modernization? Basically, for every AK-74M built in Kalashnikov concern and exported to the USA, the profits would help produce an AK-12 for the Russian military.

Obama's sanctions killed that plan; and also impacted sport shooters.

In 2010, it cost $120~ for a single can of 1080 rounds of sealed 7N6 5.45x39 from Russian surplus stockpiles; or 0.11 cents per round. So cheap in fact, you could afford to blast away all day and then simply run hot water over your gun; and who cared if it rusted from corrosive 7N6? Just buy another AK at $400 bucks.

Plus, you had fine Saiga 12 gauge sporting shotguns being imported.

I'd say both US and Russian shooters have strong incentives, both business and sporting, for russian small arms imports to resume.

But of course RUSSIAN COLLUSION REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I believe it was discussed on this board before that "REEEEEEEEEEE" as an insult is considered a slur against autistic people? Ah, yes, here it is:

https://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic ... m#p4073702

Oh, and you're going to stop using "REEE!" to mock him, because that mocks people on the autism spectrum and borders on hate speech. We don't tolerate that here, and it definitely does not endear you to the forum mod who is on the autism spectrum. Jackass.

So, fuck you for a trolling, bigoted Alt. Reich shit stain, using slurs against autistic people to attack those who disagree with you. Typical cowardly, bullying behavior of the kind that I'd expect from those who need guns to feel like big men. Hell, why not call me a cuck and a libtard too while you're at it, you gun-fellating whore who doesn't care if the rest of the Constitution goes through a shredder so long as you can keep the one article that you care about?

And I see our resident volunteer Putin Propagandist aerius trotting out the "Russia hysteria" line again, even while admitting that the NRA's dealings were probably dirty but it just might not be provable. But hey, if they can't prove it its all okay, right? And if they can, you can always just shift the goal posts again.

You people make me sick. You KNOW that the Kremlin is using the NRA, and the Republican Party, to promote global fascism. You know that the NRA and the Republican Party would be doing it anyway, with or without the Kremlin's aid. You just don't care, either because it strokes your "anti-establishment" America hate boner, or because Guns Uber Alles, or whatever other pet issue you think is worth burning the world for. Me, I don't care why you're a Quisling. I only care that you are one. You are defending people who literally want to kill women and minorities and poor people, and anyone who disagrees with them. They are enemies of all humanity, as are those who defend them. Hell, given that the politicians they promote are directly impeding action on climate change, they're enemies of all life on Earth.

[MKSheppard]

I believe it was discussed on this board before that "REEEEEEEEEEE" as an insult is considered a slur against autistic people? Ah, yes, here it is:

https://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic ... m#p4073702

I've been out of the loop on SDN for a while; and been contaminated by other internet memes.

#sadwojakfeelsman

[Alyrium Denryle]

I believe it was discussed on this board before that "REEEEEEEEEEE" as an insult is considered a slur against autistic people? Ah, yes, here it is:

https://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic ... m#p4073702

I've been out of the loop on SDN for a while; and been contaminated by other internet memes.

#sadwojakfeelsman

It should be pretty fucking obvious. Consider yourself warned.