An update on this interesting investigation into the NRA and a link to Russia, from NPR – a United States Senator has taken an interest:
In the context of ongoing investigations, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, wrote to the NRA earlier this month asking, “Can you categorically state that your organizations have never, wittingly or unwittingly, received any contributions from individuals or entities acting as conduits for foreign entities or interests?”
The NRA said it does receive foreign money but not for election purposes.
“While we do receive some contributions from foreign individuals and entities, those contributions are made directly to the NRA for lawful purposes,” NRA’s General Counsel John C. Frazer wrote to Wyden in a letter obtained by NPR. “Our review of our records has found no foreign donations in connection with a United States election, either directly or through a conduit.”
In 2015 to 2016, Frazer continued, the NRA received money from companies based in the U.S. that may be owned or managed by foreign nationals. “However, none of those entities or individuals is connected with Russia, and none of their contributions were made in connection with U.S. elections,” Frazer added.
But, as TPM reports, the NRA‘s explanation has a hole or two:
The gun group insists it has never received foreign money in connection with an election. But campaign finance experts say that, since money is fungible, that assurance doesn’t mean much.
Though it’s a long way from being confirmed and may never be, the NRA’s new admissions offer perhaps the most compelling evidence yet that foreign money could have allowed the group to conduct political activities boosting Trump.
The strange, even bizarre behaviors of the NRA leadership continues to leave me uneasy. I know suggesting some subset of them are Russian moles is waaaaaay out on the extremes – but what few facts we have so far does fit the theory. Just from Occam’s Razor, I do assume that they’re merely home-grown American extremists who haven’t figured out that “the government” is really “our government.”
But I’ll keep the other theory in mind.
