The photo supposedly showing Maria Butina in the Oval Office is NOT Butina, but an NSC staffer

[highplainsdem]

I'm posting this as an OP -- I've already posted this in replies in a thread suggesting this is Butina in the photo, but I'm not sure those replies are getting noticed enough in that long thread.


From AP's Zeke Miller:

Link to tweet

From BuzzFeed's Tom Namako:

Link to tweet

[leftofcool]

1. No staffers were allowed in the room, remember?

[superpatriotman]

2. Perhaps Mods will delete

We don't need to lie to be right.

[NCTraveler]

11. Perhaps they will delete this op, but I doubt it.

A Russian spy was in the WH with Trump.

A Russian spy was in the WH with Trump.

A Russian spy was in the WH with Trump.

Trump is a Russian asset.

Delete ops my ass.

[smirkymonkey]

3. She was, however, arrested yesterday for operating as a foreign agent.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russia-nra-arrest-this-is-as-close-as-it-gets-to-collusion

"It’s the first time the Justice Department has explicitly claimed that a Russian spy working to influence the 2016 campaign had deliberate assistance with her efforts from a U.S. citizen. On Monday, the DOJ arrested and charged a Russian national who courted the NRA and the Republican Party with secretly working as a foreign agent.

The criminal complaint already has geopolitical implications, with the Russian Embassy calling for access to the alleged spy. And its implications for domestic politics also could be tectonic: The case is as close as it gets to collusion. According to the Justice Department, at least one American helped her with her influence operation.

In a sworn affidavit, FBI agent Kevin Helson said Maria Butina worked to set up “back channel” communications between Americans and the Kremlin. Her effort was underway by March 2015—months before Donald Trump entered the presidential campaign, according to the affidavit. And it kicked into high gear during the election season.

“These lines could be used by the Russian Federation to penetrate the U.S. national decision-making apparatus to advance the agenda of the Russian Federation,” Agent Helson wrote...(more)"

[highplainsdem]

7. Yes, of course. I'm talking only about the misidentification of one photo in social media.

[DownFromTheMountain]

4. Look over here!

It's all the MFrs in line that are the crime Sherlock.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Yeah, without further proof that it is Butina, it seems a little too brazen to be her.

Although the Russians are known to be brazen from time to time. (Google "Konstantin Rykov" if you don't believe me.)

Still doesn't change the narrative of the bizarre chumminess of that particular meeting between Trump and the Russians.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Not really brazen

Butina was a big part of the 2016 campaign, she got press credentials to many Trump events and was regularly called on by Trump for questions at press conferences. A Russian spy now sitting in jail was a key player at dozens of GOP events, and she was a key figure in funneling Russian money into the NRA.

She knows Trump personally, she's Russian intelligence, it would be no surprise that she's been at the White House, probably multiple times.

[manor321]

8. Thank you!

[GeorgeGist]

9. that would be John Bolton's NSC.

a NSC source tells BuzzFeed

[boston bean]

16. Boltons NSC? He wasn't NSC when this pic was taken?

[NCTraveler]

10. Keep stating it is a Russian spy. Over and over again.

I don't give a shit who it really is. There are already thousands upon thousands who believe it is a Russian spy and will not come back to the story outside of water cooler talk. That is a win.

[Ezior]

13. I'm not sure if your sarcastic, or if you actually support spreading alternative facts and fake news

[NCTraveler]

14. Not kidding in the least.

Not even sorry for promoting something that is beneath you. I find fighting fair to be contemptible at this point.

It's already happening. Thousands of ill informed people are spreading it around the water cooler at work. Awwwe. Makes me so sad. Poor little Trump. And the poor truth.

[Ezior]

15. Well, that sucks.

Because I thought Democrats wanted to fight alternative facts instead of pushing them.

I'm not questioning your motivations, but as a right-wing troll, I'd post exactly the same thing you just posted in a public forum for Democrats, so I can tell everyone else that Democrats are just making things up to fit their narrative. I realize it's nice to have something go viral that makes Trump look bad, but there's enough of that out in the wild already that is not from an alternative reality. The Trumpists won't care.

Sane people will care about Democrats lying to make Trump look bad. And not in a good way.

[NCTraveler]

18. lol

I think all of that is a bit funny.

"Because I thought Democrats wanted to fight alternative facts instead of pushing them. "

Democrats are human. The ones I know are thankfully not opposed to propaganda.

"I'm not questioning your motivations, but as a right-wing troll, I'd post exactly the same thing you just posted in a public forum for Democrats, so I can tell everyone else that Democrats are just making things up to fit their narrative."

Sorry you haven't figured out that they do that anyway. I have no clue how people miss that little aspect.

"but there's enough of that out in the wild already that is not from an alternative reality."

Keep going on it! There is plenty out there!

So sad that people are sitting around water coolers talking about the Russian in the Trump meeting. Really makes me sad. So many people saw this this morning to never revisit it again, outside of spreading it.

[NCTraveler]

12. If the regime released visitors logs....

Instead of keeping them secret, we would easily be able to identify her.

Until she is clearly identified, it is clearly the Russian spy.

[boston bean]

17. You make it seem like there were not edits to the OP to reflect events. Come on now!

[demmiblue]

19. People can be so gullible.

And I am not immune... I thought they looked similar, but waited for further info so as not to embarrass myself.

The only thread I saw was deleted. Are there more?

[Cracklin Charlie]

20. Thanks for the clarification.

I do not believe the woman here really resembles the Russian agent. But, the administration does have a habit of issuing rebuttals without providing any pertinent information. They seem to be doing the same regarding the arrested Russian agent so far.