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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Was Maria Butina Doing at the National Prayer Breakfast?
This woman sure gets around!!
What Was Maria Butina Doing at the National Prayer Breakfast?
Americas Christian nationalists have been finding common cause with the Russian government for a while now.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/opinion/maria-butina-putin-infiltration.html
By Katherine Stewart
Ms. Stewart writes regularly about the political activities of evangelicals and other religious groups.
July 18, 2018
Does it seem strange that, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Monday by the Justice Department, a Russian woman stands accused of acting as an agent of a foreign government in part because she hoped to establish a back channel of communication with American politicians at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington?
It shouldnt. As Jeff Sharlet, an associate professor of English at Dartmouth, has pointed out, the National Prayer Breakfast has long offered a backdoor to American power. And Americas homegrown Christian nationalists have evinced an admiration for Russias authoritarian leader that appears to have grown apace with his brutality.
On Tuesday, Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian whose name was spelled Mariia in court papers, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Russian Federation. According to the complaint unsealed on Monday, Ms. Butinas promotional activities for Russian political interests included attending the National Prayer Breakfast twice.
The National Prayer Breakfast was initiated in 1953 by a Methodist minister, Abraham Vereide, who had been leading Congressional prayer groups for a decade. The annual breakfast now attracts close to 4,000 participants and is hosted by members of Congress. But the real force behind the event remains Mr. Vereides Fellowship Foundation, also known as The Family, whose fundamental mission is to create a ruling consortium of Christ-centered political and community leaders.
The Family considers #nationalprayerbreakfast a recruiting device, Mr. Sharlet, who has published two books about the group, tweeted on Monday.
Lobbyists and foreign governments look forward to the event as a way to meet powerful people without, as Mr. Sharlet has reported, having to go through the State Department and normal vetting processes.
Its not just the breakfast The Family organizes a week of de facto lobbying events, Mr. Sharlet explained on Twitter. #MariaButina used them to maximize impact. .............................
jaysunb
(11,856 posts)Where have I heard this before ?
Midnight Writer
(21,696 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)some friends.
BigmanPigman
(51,565 posts)NRA, fundamentalists and the corrupt GOP are in league and have been for on over 20 years.
Remember these from last Jan?
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/the-trump-russia-nra-connection-heres-what-you-need-to-know-205458/
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/01/the-nra-is-part-of-the-trumprussia-scandal-now.html
http://reverbpress.com/politics/nra-pays-senators-millions/
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210231989
The evangelicals are also included as are McConnell and the GOP with the $ from the NRA via Russia.
All of these articles name everyone who is involved in the NRA/Russian conspiracy that we are reading and hearing about now.
world wide wally
(21,737 posts)Meadowoak
(5,534 posts)Knew?
sarah FAILIN
(2,857 posts)We actually have someone running against Aderholt this time and I am holding my breath hoping that we can make the most of this. This is his first time to run and he needs all the help he can get, even if it comes from Russian spies hanging out with the incumbent, lol.
RainCaster
(10,825 posts)It was a hard position to swallow.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,494 posts).
Harker
(13,966 posts)as "who" rather than "what" she was doing there.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)fierywoman
(7,668 posts)edbermac
(15,933 posts)...praying.
yortsed snacilbuper
(7,939 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,729 posts)Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)... but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Blue Owl
(50,245 posts)Hmmmm....