Vladimir Putin’s Inner Circle Met With The NRA During 2016 Election Campaign

Proof of Russian collusion between US officials and Vladimir Putin continues to increase. A new report suggests that several prominent Russians, including men located deep within Putin’s inner circle, met with the National Rifle Association (NRA) during the 2016 U.S. election campaign.

The NRA contacts were revealed while investigating whether Russian banker and lifetime NRA member Alexander Torshin, illegally channeled money to the gun rights group. The money was used to backchannel money into the election of President Trump.

Sadly, this isn’t the first example of the NRA meeting with Russians to influence the 2016 general election. Dmitry Rogozin, the former deputy prime minister overseeing Russia’s defense industry also assisted the NRA.

Sergei Rudov, head of one of Russia’s largest philanthropies with direct ties to Putin, also assisted the association according to insiders. NRA representatives met with various Russians while being wined and dined in Moscow, Russia.

Officials are now investigating if the NRA meetings had more to do with the U.S. election than the simple gun factory tours the agency has claimed were the focal point of their visits.

This isn’t the first time talks between the NRA and the Russians have come under fire. Mueller and his Special Counsel have been investigating whether Torshin was orchestrating a flow of cash from Russia to the NRA. That same issue is also being investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The National Rifle Association spent nearly $30 million helping elect Donald Trump or more than double what they spent assisting 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

Torshin has already come under fire for allegedly helping launder money in Spain for the Russian mob. He is also among the 38 Russian government officials who were sanctioned in April by the U.S. government for their involvement in U.S. election meddling. Torshin has since been given the post of deputy governor of Russia’s central bank.