Civic Register
| 3.28.18

NRA Admits to Foreign Donations, Denies They Go to Election Spending

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UPDATE: March 28, 2018: The National Rifle Association has acknowledged it accepts money from foreign donors, but says the group does not use the funds for election work.

  • The NRA made these statements in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. Wyden previously questioned the NRA about its fundraising efforts and ties to Russia.

  • "Our review of our records has found no foreign donations in connection with a United States election, either directly or through a conduit,” the NRA’s secretary and general counsel, John C. Frazer, wrote in the March 19 letter to Wyden, which was made public on Tuesday.

  • In January, it was reported that the FBI was investigating whether an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin funneled money to the Trump campaign through the NRA.

Countable's original story appears below.

What’s the story?

The FBI is investigating if a Russian banker, with ties to the Kremlin, illegally funneled money to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign through contributions made to the National Rifle Association.

It is illegal to use foreign money to influence U.S. elections.

What does it matter?

McClatchyDC reported Thursday that FBI counterintelligence investigators are looking into Alexander Torshin, the deputy governor of Russia’s central bank. According to the report, Torshin hosted an NRA delegation in Moscow in late 2015 and spoke with Donald Trump, Jr. at an NRA gala in May 2016.

These revelations come the same week BuzzFeed reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating questionable financial transactions out of the Russian embassy in Washington

McClatchy wrote that "the NRA reported spending…$30 million to support Trump—triple what the group devoted to backing Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential race. Most of that was money was spent by an arm of the NRA that is not required to disclose its donors."

What do you think?

Do you support the FBI investigation into Torshin? Should Congressional intelligence committees look into the matter as well? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: dsmoulton / iStock)