Who?

One of the many explosive charges in the FBI affidavit seeking an indictment against accused Russian spy and influential NRA member Maria Butina is this alarming nugget:

31. On October 4, 2016, U.S. Person 1 sent an email to an acquaintance. The email covered a number of topics. Within the email, U.S. Person 1 stated, “Unrelated to specific presidential campaigns, I’ve been involved in securing a VERY private line of communication between the Kremlin and key POLITICAL PARTY 1 leaders through, of all conduits, the [GUN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION].” Based on my training, expertise, and familiarity with this investigation, I believe that this email describes U.S. Person 1’s involvement in BUTINA’s efforts to establish a “back channel” communication for representatives of the Government of Russia.

We can presume that POLITICAL PARTY 1 is the Republican Party; that’s made clear from the rest of the document. So the question is, which “key leaders” of the Republican Party had secured a “VERY” private line of communication to the Kremlin, in October of 2016?

Person 1 specifically says it is “unrelated” to a presidential campaign; that doesn’t leave too many other options. While figures like Dana Rohrbacher or Scott Walker may hug the NRA tightly, neither can be considered a “key party leader.” Only House leaders, Senate leaders, or top GOP party officials would fit that bill.

According to this affidavit, an unknown number of those leaders had a secure line of communications to the Kremlin in October of 2016, immediately before the elections. For what possible purpose? Are we going to find out who?

And do government investigators already know?