told congressional investigators he didn’t speak to Torshin about the upcoming presidential election, according to the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia report. Torshin was unable to schedule a meeting with candidate Trump at the 2016 NRA meeting, but ultimately managed to meet Trump Jr. In at least some of the cases their overtures were rebuffed. The outreach efforts reached Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, campaign manager Paul Manafort, his deputy Rick Gates, then-campaign adviser Rick Dearborn and Jeff Sessions, then a foreign policy adviser and now the attorney general, according to emails reviewed by the House Intelligence Committee. Trump,” according to the House Intelligence Committee reports. The activist added, “Putin is deadly serious about building a good relationship with Mr. In one such email, a conservative activist reached out on Torshin’s behalf to say his goal was “cultivating a back-channel to President Putin’s Kremlin.” Those emissaries sometimes touted their NRA connections as they aimed to helped Torshin quietly facilitate a relationship between then-presidential candidate Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Throughout the campaign, a number of people made overtures to Trump campaign aides on Torshin’s behalf. The seemingly impromptu encounter left some officials at the gun-rights group wondering whether it was a setup by the Russians, sources said. That is the extent of their communication or contact.” “They made small talk for a few minutes and went back to their separate meals. was attending an NRA convention and having dinner when an acquaintance asked him to say hello to Torshin and made an introduction,” said Alan Futerfas, an attorney for Trump Jr. Torshin and Butina weren’t invited to the dinner, but they were asked to stay and speak anyway. arrived for a dinner on the sidelines of the NRA’s 2016 annual meeting in Louisville, some attendees – including NRA officials – were startled to discover Torshin and Butina already present at the restaurant where the reception was being held, according to sources familiar with the event. “Infiltrating to influence the NRA politically is a red herring.”īut even some within the NRA viewed the partnership warily. “I can certainly say without any reservation that Torshin’s intent was purely about helping with the expansion of gun rights,” Preston said. In other media interviews, Preston said that call took place around 2011. Preston, who said he has known Torshin for about a decade, said the Russian wanted to meet the leadership of the NRA, so Preston cold-called then-NRA President David Keene. Torshin, the deputy head of Russia’s central bank who served for years as a senator in the Russian parliament, began making inroads into the NRA with the help of Tennessee lawyer G. “They were definitely preparing, they were bracing themselves.” “True believers to the cause are getting very antsy,” said a person privy to the NRA’s internal deliberations. But the feeling among some officials internally is that the group appears to be readying for an investigation. The NRA’s precautions could be little more than due diligence as the group faces inquiries from congressional investigators and the media about its relationship with Torshin. McClatchy: FBI investigating potential Russian donations to NRA to boost Trump Privately, some officials have expressed anxiety about a potential investigation and the group’s Russian ties.Īndreas Rentz/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images Some employees have been tasked with preserving years of documents mentioning Torshin or his associate, Maria Butina, who runs a pro-guns group in Russia, a source familiar with the situation said. The NRA has publicly denied any contact from the FBI and insisted it hasn’t accepted illegal donations.ĭespite the public denials, officials at the gun-rights group have been anxiously preparing as if they were already under investigation, sources said. The NRA recently found itself facing allegations that the FBI was investigating whether Torshin illegally funneled money through the group to bolster Trump, according to a McClatchy report. Vice President Mike Pence is slated to speak at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Dallas next Friday, an official told CNN. The political powerhouse shelled out more than $30 million in 2016 to back Donald Trump’s candidacy – more than it spent on 20 political races combined, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Those inquiries could shed light on the tightly held fundraising practices and political activities of the NRA. The Russia sanctions list: Who's on the new US blacklist
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