Maria Butina, leader of a pro-gun organization in Russia, speaks in 2013 to a crowd during a rally in support of legalizing the possession of handguns in Moscow. (AP)U.S. prosecutors have acknowledged they misunderstood text messages they used to claim in court that a Russian woman traded sex for access and should be jailed pending trial on charges she was a foreign agent attempting to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and other American conservative groups. Driscoll argued in a filing last month that the allegation was a “sexist smear” that created the false impression Butina used sex as a spy tool. Sex with you does not interest me.”[Alleged Russian agent Maria Butina ordered to remain in custody after prosecutors argue she has ties to Russian intelligence]Prosecutors said their mistake should not undermine the gravity of the government’s overall case. The campaign declined a request by Erickson to have Trump meet “Putin’s emissary,” but Torshin and Butina briefly interacted with Donald Trump Jr. at a dinner.

Source: Washington Post September 08, 2018 23:36 UTC