Thread by @DrDenaGrayson

💣BOOM💣

FBI probing the NRA for using *illegal* #Russian🇷🇺money to help Trump win‼️

The NRA reported it spent a *record $55 million* on 2016 elections, including $30 million for Trump – TRIPLE what it spent for Mitt Romney in 2012.🤨 1/

amp.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-wo…

Even WORSE:

👉🏼Most of the $55 million was spent by an arm of the NRA that is *not required to disclose its donors*
👉🏼Two people w/close connections to the NRA said its total election spending actually was *$70 million*

2/

The gap btwn the $55 million (reported) and $70 million (actual) may be b/c independent groups are *not required to report how much they spend on Internet ads or field operations*, including get-out-the-vote efforts‼️🤬 3/

Citizens United *legalized* SHADY campaign financing, so independent groups now can:

👉🏼HIDE donors from public scrutiny, making it EASIER for foreigners to funnel money into campaigns illegally
👉🏼HIDE expenditures, making it IMPOSSIBLE to know how much/where was spent

4/

For this investigation of NRA’s *illegal* donations, FBI is focused on Alexander TORSHIN, the deputy governor of #Russia’s🇷🇺central bank, an alleged MONEY LAUNDERER known for his close relationships both w/ Putin and the NRA‼️🤨 5/

Torshin is a lifetime NRA member & has attended several of its annual conventions. At the NRA’s meeting in KY in May 2016, Torshin spoke to Don Jr during a gala event, when Trump won an earlier-than-usual NRA presidential endorsement.🤔 6/

Torshin helped set up a Moscow🇷🇺gun rights group called Right to Bear Arms.🙄

Torshin not only spoke with Don Jr at the NRA convention (tried also to meet Trump), but also tried unsuccessfully to broker a meeting btwn Putin & candidate Trump in 2016.🤨 7/

Spanish prosecutors revealed covert financial & money-laundering dealings btwn Torshin & Alexander Romanov, a #Russian🇷🇺who pleaded guilty to money-laundering in 2016 and was sentenced to nearly four years in prison.🤨 8/

Spanish prosecutors’ evidence included *recordings of phone calls* between Torshin & Romanov👉🏼allegedly laundered funds to buy a hotel on Mallorca. Torshin had an 80% stake in the venture.

🔥Romanov called Torshin the “godfather” or “boss.”🔥9/

Veteran GOP operative Paul Erickson has raised funds for the NRA & is a friend of Torshin aide, Maria Butina’s. Shortly before the NRA’s May 2016 convention, he emailed Rick Dearborn about setting up a meeting btwn Putin & Trump.🤔

Subject line: “Kremlin Connection”🤭

10/

Bridges LLC is a company established by Erickson & Butina established in February 2016. Public records don’t reveal any financial transactions involving Bridges.🤔

Erickson said the LLC was established in case Butina needed any monetary assistance for her graduate studies⁉️11/

You can bet that Team🇺🇸Mueller is probing this shady LLC to see whether any money was illegally laundered into it from #Russia🇷🇺, and also where the NRA got their money‼️

Stay tuned for MORE on this story...

#MuellerIsComing
#TrumpRussia

/end

Fmr NRA head, David Keene, helped lead a NRA delegation to Moscow in Dec’15 including meeting w/#Russia🇷🇺Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin & TORSHIN.🤨

🔥Sheriff David Clarke & Pete Brownell, a chief executive of a gun company & longtime NRA board member attended.🔥