Russian Operative Highlights Walker’s NRA Ties
Gun lobby has given Walker $3.5 million; he’s rewarded them with pro-gun legislation.
![Scott Walker [m], Maria Butina [r].](https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/6f050454-e929-496d-8884-38a9af634e8a.jpg)
Scott Walker [m], Maria Butina [r].
Walker, who is seeking his third four-year term as governor in November, first met Butina in April 2015 when they both attended the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) annual convention in Nashville, Tenn. In a blog post, apparently from her, she said Walker said ‘hello’ to her in Russian. She later attended the kickoff in July 2015 of his brief GOP presidential campaign.
Walker and the NRA have been cozy for years. In Wisconsin, the NRA has spent more than $4.5 million during the past 20 years on outside electioneering activities to support GOP and conservative legislative and statewide candidates. The bulk of the NRA’s electioneering spending, about $3.5 million, has been to support Walker’s 2010 general, 2012 recall, and 2014 reelection for governor.
In addition to outside electioneering activities, NRA political action committees have directly contributed $94,200 to all legislative and statewide candidates between January 1998 and December 2017. The top recipient was Walker, who received $12,500 in NRA PAC contributions.
During the past seven years, Walker and GOP legislators, who took control of state government in January 2011, have approved numerous pro-gun bills. The pro-gun laws approved by Walker and majority GOP legislators include the state’s concealed carry law; elimination of the 48-hour waiting period to buy a gun; and legal protection for people who shoot trespassers, which is often called the “castle doctrine.”
More about the Russian Affair
- Op Ed: Is Walker a Russian Dupe? - Bill Kaplan - Jul 24th, 2018
- Gov. Scott Walker Political Operation Snagged $250,000 Check Mere Days After Meeting With Accused Russian Spy - One Wisconsin Now - Jul 20th, 2018
- What’s Walker Hiding? - Democratic Party of Wisconsin - Jul 18th, 2018
- Campaign Cash: Russian Operative Highlights Walker’s NRA Ties - Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - Jul 18th, 2018
- Matt Flynn Blasts Scott Walker for Meeting with Russian Spy - Matt Flynn - Jul 16th, 2018
- Plenty of Horne: Giuliani Can’t Practice Law in D.C. - Michael Horne - Jun 28th, 2018
- Pocan Statement Regarding Reports that Russian-Linked Facebook Ads Targeted Wisconsin - U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan - Oct 4th, 2017
- Wisconsin Notified of Unsuccessful Russian Hacking Attempt - Wisconsin Elections Commission - Sep 22nd, 2017
- Murphy’s Law: Wisconsin A Key State for Russian Hacking - Bruce Murphy - Aug 8th, 2017
- Report Suggests Wisconsin Voters Targeted by Collusion Between Trump Campaign, Russian Fake News Operation - One Wisconsin Now - Jul 13th, 2017
Read more about Russian Affair here
Campaign Cash
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Outside Groups Spent Record $28.8 Million on State Supreme Court Race
May 7th, 2023 by Erik Gunn
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Top 20 Donors to State Political Parties
Apr 4th, 2023 by Peter Cameron and Hina Suzuki
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$38 Million Spent on High Court Race
Mar 29th, 2023 by Erik Gunn
It looks like the NRA may be the conduit Russia used to fund Trump’s (and Walker’s) campaigns.
Here’s what we know…
The NRA spent tens of millions of dollars supporting right-wing candidates in 2016—much more than the NRA spent in prior elections. (In 2012, the total NRA budget was $261 million, but in 2016 they spent $419 million.)
The Washington Post reports that, in recent years, Russians (including Maria Butina—the woman in the photo with Walker—and Alexander Torshin, the Russian banker for whom she supposedly worked as an interpreter) have regularly attended NRA fat cat events called “Golden Ring of Freedom” dinners (for people who give the NRA at least $1 million).
The Russians deny paying the NRA for anything except regular dues, but then how did they get invited again and again to events reserved for million-dollar donors??
It sounds to me like politicians taking NRA money are actually taking some of that money from Russia.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/she-was-like-a-novelty-how-alleged-russian-agent-maria-butina-gained-access-to-elite-conservative-circles/2018/07/17/1bb62bbc-89d2-11e8-a345-a1bf7847b375_story.html?utm_term=.48b1f0286ca8
I have to assume this is why Congress and others are silent. They participated.
@TransitRider-
Yep I believe sometime down the road we will learn that the NRA has been laundering money for Russia to benefit the GOP. It just makes too much sense. And Walker being involved. Of course Walker was involved, it just fits this guys MO.
NRA= terrorists and now traitors
Walker= Just another feather in his cap of corruption
Career Politician Scott Walker is soooo greasy and he might just be a Bolshevik.
Dump Walker 2018