Accused Russian spy was guest at U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford's Thanksgiving BBQ last year
The alleged female Russian spy who tried to make in-roads with the National Rifle Association and now faces federal conspiracy charges, spent Thanksgiving last year at U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford's farm.
Sanford, R-S.C., confirmed to The Post and Courier he met Maria Butina during a post-Thankgiving annual barbecue that drew up to 300 people.
She visited the farm, known as Coosaw Plantation in Beaufort County, in 2017 with her boyfriend Paul Erickson.
Her attendance was first reported Friday by CNN.
In a brief phone interview Friday with the newspaper, Sanford said he invited Erickson to South Carolina that year because Erickson was not interested in returning home to South Dakota.
Erickson and Sanford have been friends for more than 30 years, going back to when they were in business school together at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, Sanford said.
He said they had stayed in touch casually in Washington, D.C., and that Erickson wanted to bring his girlfriend with him to the Sanford gathering.
Sanford said he met Butina during the barbecue but did not have any extended conversation, largely due to the number of people, friends and family in attendance.
https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/accused-russian-spy-was-guest-at-u-s-rep-mark/article_d0e2a6fe-8c58-11e8-aa7e-2ba3afa326f8.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Let me correct this for you. She MADE in-roads with the NRA.
