Good morning from the federal courthouse in DC, where alleged Russian agent Maria Butina is set to appear for a plea hearing at 10:30am. On what she was charged with: buzzfeed.com/verabergengrue… 
On why Butina has been in jail since her arrest: buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
And her second unsuccessful attempt to be released and the gag order entered by the judge: buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
And her second unsuccessful attempt to be released and the gag order entered by the judge: buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
The story of Maria Butina, by @VeraMBergen: buzzfeednews.com/article/verabe…
NEW: Maria Butina has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to act as an agent for a foreign government. She's agreed to cooperate with the govt, and will delay sentencing while she continues to do so. She appeared calm as she answered the judge's questions today. More soon.
STORY: Maria Butina appeared in court today and admitted that she conspired to ilegally act as a foreign agent in the United States, and tried to set up informal backchannels between Russia and the US leading up to the 2016 presidential election buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
We learned what the judge has been dealing with under seal— there was concern by the govt that Butina might be serving as a conduit between the press and her lawyer, who is bound by a gag order. No finding by the judge on whether there was a violation buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
Our story has been updated with links to Maria Butina's plea agreement and her statement of offense, if you'd like to see those buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
After a visit by members of a "gun rights organization" to Moscow, Butina wrote a message in Russian to a Russian official, translated as: "We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later" buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
Remember that mostly sealed Dec. 6 hearing in Maria Butina's case? The transcript is now unsealed and contains some interesting tidbits about the back and forth leading up to Butina signing her plea deal. Updated story: buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
