MSNBC: FBI Investigating Whether NRA Used Russian Money To Help Trump

RUSH EXCERPT:
HAYES: "It sounds like something out of a liberal conspiracy theory. Vladimir Putin takes advantage of dark money loopholes under the infamous citizens united ruling to move hugs amounts of money through the national rifle association, which uses said money to help elect Donald J. Trump president of the united States. But that is the theory currently being investigated by the FBI, according to mcclatchy. And it has more to make it plausible than you might think at first. According to newly released testimony by the cofounder fusion gps, the firm behind the trump dossier, the firm turned up evidence of a long-term Russian operation. Quote, it appears the Russians, you know, infiltrated the NRA. The testimony named specifically aleksandr torshin, who would, of course, be the same Russian banker cited in the mcclatchy story. He helped found a similar pro-gun organization in Russia. And over the decade, his organization has included many visits to America, including one that included sheriff David Clark and former NRA president, David Keene. And there’s aleksandr torshin, right in the middle. The fusion gps testimony also raised money about torshin’s cofounder on the Russian gun group, a young woman named Maria botina. Botina now lives in Washington, where in the days after the 2016 election, she brazenly claimed she had been part of the trump campaign’s communications with Russia. Julie ioffe is a staff writer for “The atlantic” and expert on all things Russia, who first start writing about this bizarre connection back in 2012. What’s the deal with Russia and the NRA?"