Operative Offered Trump Campaign Kremlin Connection Using N.R.A. Ties

[deminks]

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/us/politics/trump-putin-russia-nra-campaign.html?_r=0&referer=https://t.co/aZHSPQ5DaH?amp=1

WASHINGTON — A conservative operative trumpeting his close ties to the National Rifle Association and Russia told a Trump campaign adviser last year that he could arrange a back-channel meeting between Donald J. Trump and Vladimir V. Putin, the Russian president, according to an email sent to the Trump campaign.

A May 2016 email to the campaign adviser, Rick Dearborn, bore the subject line “Kremlin Connection.” In it, the N.R.A. member said he wanted the advice of Mr. Dearborn and Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, then a foreign policy adviser to Mr. Trump and Mr. Dearborn’s longtime boss, about how to proceed in connecting the two leaders.

Russia, he wrote, was “quietly but actively seeking a dialogue with the U.S.” and would attempt to use the N.R.A.’s annual convention in Louisville, Ky., to make “‘first contact.’” The email, which was among a trove of campaign-related documents turned over to investigators on Capitol Hill, was described in detail to The New York Times.

(snip)

The emailed outreach from the conservative operative to Mr. Dearborn came far earlier, around the same time that Russians were trying to make other connections to the Trump campaign. Another contact came through an American advocate for Christian and veterans causes, and together, the outreach shows how, as Mr. Trump closed in on the nomination, Russians were using three foundational pillars of the Republican Party — guns, veterans and Christian conservatives — to try to make contact with his unorthodox campaign.

(end snip)

[lindysalsagal]

1. It's all falling down, now. The house of cards crumbles. Doing Mueller's job for him.

[Squinch]

2. We have all become inured to all these connections the Trump(R) campaign had with Russia.

There are so many that I think we are numb.

Every once in a while I have to do an "iggidy iggidy" head shake and remind myself that ONE Russian connection in a Presidential campaign, ONE attempt by Putin to influence our election is earthshaking.

And how many connections do we have now, 50, 60???

[Squinch]

3. Oh my God, this excerpt:

“The Kremlin believes that the only possibility of a true reset in this relationship would be with a new Republican White House,” Mr. Erickson wrote to Mr. Dearborn, adding, “Ever since Hillary compared Putin to Hitler, all senior Russian leaders consider her beyond redemption.”

The hubris is horrifying. They fully believe it is up to them to decide who wins the US election. And I guess they are right in that belief.

[delisen]

7. Narciisistic Empire of Russia

Today Russia , Tomorrow the World.

I think of America's authoritarian left that has spent a year, trying first to ignore Russian mal-involvement in our election, then denying its effectiveness, then rejecting their own role.

[Squinch]

8. "Tomorrow the World." I do think that's the aim. And our hypocritical Republicans are

welcoming his rule with open arms.

I can't believe what is happening in this country, and how fast it has happened.

[Achilleaze]

4. Incarcerate the KGOP republican TreasonWeasels for betraying America

lock them up

[Achilleaze]

5. republicans totally flip-flop. Climb into bed with the 'evil empire'

[greeny2323]

9. Aligned interests

The bigger story is the alignment of the American right with Putin's Russia: Authoritarian, sectarian and oligarchy.

[FakeNoose]

11. Yes that is THE story

It's the only story, when you consider that everything else is a corollary in one way or another.

[AlleganCarpenter]

10. Terrorist organization

Need any more evidence NRA members are domestic terrorists?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. Link for not-mobile devices:

Retweeted by Daniel Dale: https://twitter.com/ddale8

A conservative activist with ties to the NRA sought a back-channel to connect Putin and Trump during the campaign: “Putin is deadly serious about building a good relationship with Mr. Trump.”

Link to tweet

Politics

Operative Offered Trump Campaign ‘Kremlin Connection’ Using N.R.A. Ties

By NICHOLAS FANDOS DEC. 3, 2017

WASHINGTON — A conservative operative trumpeting his close ties to the National Rifle Association and Russia told a Trump campaign adviser last year that he could arrange a back-channel meeting between Donald J. Trump and Vladimir V. Putin, the Russian president, according to an email sent to the Trump campaign.

A May 2016 email to the campaign adviser, Rick Dearborn, bore the subject line “Kremlin Connection.” In it, the N.R.A. member said he wanted the advice of Mr. Dearborn and Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, then a foreign policy adviser to Mr. Trump and Mr. Dearborn’s longtime boss, about how to proceed in connecting the two leaders. ... Russia, he wrote, was “quietly but actively seeking a dialogue with the U.S.” and would attempt to use the N.R.A.’s annual convention in Louisville, Ky., to make “‘first contact.’” The email, which was among a trove of campaign-related documents turned over to investigators on Capitol Hill, was described in detail to The New York Times.

Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign, secured a guilty plea on Friday from President Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, for lying to the F.B.I. about contacts with Moscow’s former ambassador to the United States. But those contacts came after Mr. Trump’s improbable election victory.

The emailed outreach from the conservative operative to Mr. Dearborn came far earlier, around the same time that Russians were trying to make other connections to the Trump campaign. Another contact came through an American advocate for Christian and veterans causes, and together, the outreach shows how, as Mr. Trump closed in on the nomination, Russians were using three foundational pillars of the Republican Party — guns, veterans and Christian conservatives — to try to make contact with his unorthodox campaign.

[sunonmars]

13. You just knew these wingnuts were involved in all this shit.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

14. Why is the NRA connected to Russia?