Maria Butina Receives Hero's Welcome in Moscow
Source: Daily Beast
Julia Davis
Updated 10.26.19 9:41AM ET / Published 10.26.19 7:15AM ET
Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty late last year to conspiring to act on behalf of the Russian government as a clandestine foreign agent in the United States, was released Friday into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Eagerly anticipating Butinas impending liberation, Russian state media outlets expected to live-stream her release, but U.S. authorities had other plans. Having traveled to the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution from Atlanta, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, Russian state TV stringers were stranded for hours filming traffic, building exits and geese on the lawn. Meanwhile, Butina was quietly whisked out of the facility and transferred to the custody of ICE for a speedy deportation back to Russia.
During her flight from Miami to Moscow, the crew of Aeroflot transferred Butina from an economy seat at the back of the plane to business-class. Someone offered a traditional Russian gingerbread cookie (pryanik) to sugarcoat Marias bitter-sweet voyage. Once this plane takes off, its all over, Butina remarked. Aboard the plane, the Russian state media blitz was already underway. RT reporters booked seats on the same flight, documenting Butinas return to Russia. I would not make it without my people, citizens of my country," Butina told the Russian state media outlet, Sputnik.
Appearing on 60 Minutesthe most popular news talk show in Russiathe correspondent of Russias state-TV channel Rossiya-24 Valentin Bogdanov pointed out that the Western media no longer dares to call Butina a spy. Theyre being careful, Bogdanov said, speculating that media outlets are afraid of being sued for using the wrong language. In the Kremlin-controlled Russian media, Butina is being described mainly in glowing terms.
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iluvtennis
(19,864 posts)AZ8theist
(5,477 posts)Like RUSSIA.
Kid Berwyn
(14,921 posts)...and Putins Poodle, Reek, for her release?
She was charged. Pled guilty.
Sentenced by a judge.
Served her time, with the usual curtailing of sentence for good behavior.
She was released.
She was, at that point, a foreign national convicted of a crime and on US soil in violation of any visa she might have had. While not a violent felon, she was, nonetheless, subject to detention and deportation.
Here's the judge that presided over Butkina's case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_S._Chutkan Originally from Jamaica, appointed by Obama in 2013.
rockfordfile
(8,704 posts)Polybius
(15,461 posts)Sgent
(5,857 posts)the death penalty or they will do the same to ours.
We do give US citizens the death penalty for espionage -- or elect them to higher office.
Kid Berwyn
(14,921 posts)All that Russian money.
All those Republicans.
Texin
(2,596 posts)But how did Putin know that? Oh, never mind.
SkyDaddy7
(6,045 posts)...First, I have to be honest your comment made me LOL! However, I almost feel bad for laughing because it is highly likely the Orange Menace has told Putin things during their private 1on1 conversations!?!? You know the ones where Trump doesn't allow any Americans in the room with him only a Russian translator.
...Trump is so damn arrogantly ignorant about everything especially geopolitics! Trump's extreme arrogance is why he is so pathetically incompetent in everything he does! So, there is NO TELLING what an ex-KGB Officer like Vladimir Putin has been able to get Trump to tell him in their close door meetings simply by flattering Trump!! Trump practically worships Putin so there is no telling what Trump might tell Putin just to be his BFF!! ...Its freakin scary!
...I still can't believe that POS is POTUS!!!!!
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Whatever happened to hear American lover?
Golden Raisin
(4,609 posts)falls out of a 4th floor window or off a balcony.
SterlingPound
(428 posts)guaranteed!!!
ewagner
(18,964 posts)She did cooperate to some extent...
Mc Mike
(9,114 posts)Last edited Mon Oct 28, 2019, 07:58 AM - Edit history (2)
She's still not spoiled for spycraft, she can always appear before Wohl and Burkman's crowd and tell them anything unlikely ("Am local AmWay rep, da?" ), and be believed. She'll never blow her cover, with them, coz they're too dumb.
onecaliberal
(32,873 posts)onenote
(42,715 posts)Served fifteen and under the sentencing guidelines had 3 months knocked off for good behavior.
The judge who decided her sentence was a respected Obama appointee. But I don't suppose that will stop some DUers from throwing the judge under the bus.
B Stieg
(2,410 posts)Vladdie doesn't like spies who get caught
Baked Potato
(7,733 posts)In Siberia!
yuiyoshida
(41,833 posts)Russian students so they too can travel to the USA...wow... Russian spies, the Next Generation!
Baked Potato
(7,733 posts)deminks
(11,015 posts)I think she was very successful in that regard here.
malthaussen
(17,205 posts)She has served her country well.
-- Mal
RudyColludie
(43 posts)unregistered foreign agent my ass
she was a spy and saboteur and the NRA was her entrepot into our elections
Turbineguy
(37,355 posts)didn't get a Hero's departure from Trump supporters.
3sam3
(19 posts)all this broke in the news Malcolm Nance said she'd be met with a hero's welcome. Puttie's not going to disappear her. She did everything she was sent to do. All those photos of her with Scot Walker, and all the rest. She's the one who organized the republican congress/NRA trip to Moscow, was it over the 4th. of July? All those congressmen (traitors) sucked into Putties loving arms. She's got all that great honeypot experience to pass on to a new generation of Russian spies. I'd kind of admire her if the quality of the scumbags she seduced wasn't so very, very low.
DENVERPOPS
(8,838 posts)Debriefing will take a while, then given the Republicans and NRA executives she was "close" to, she has a month of quarantine: de-lousing, anti-biotics, anti-virals, etc...........
FakeNoose
(32,659 posts)... but she'll have to give up her guns though.
No firearms allowed in the hands of Russian citizens, Pootie's rule.
Evolve Dammit
(16,747 posts)jury testimony. Hopefully this was explored. The whole NRA/ Russia money laundering has been largely silent. Please correct me if you know otherwise.
Linda Ed
(493 posts)Yeah...she really looks like she was tortured doesn't she? And this president crawls up the hiney of Putin,,,makes me sick!!
JDC
(10,130 posts)Sneederbunk
(14,293 posts)Takket
(21,582 posts)But Im sure deep inside she is no idiot and she knows what failure and capture mean to a spy in Russia. Theyll exploit her for some propaganda for a few days and once a month or two goes by, like someone else said, she will accidentally fall out a window.