The FBI is investigating into allegations that a Russian central banker, and Putin confidant, illegally funneled money through The National Rifle Association (NRA) to help the Trump campaign.
The NRA spent $30 million in support of Trump. Wayne Robert LaPierre, Jr.,
the Executive Vice President of the NRA earned $5,051,249 in 2015[i] to among, other things, advocate against gun control policies.
The allegations came from Glenn Simpson, founder of Fusion GPS, a Washington DC research company during his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee in November last year.
“It appears the Russians, you know, infiltrated the NRA,” Simpson told the panel, in a since released transcript. “It appears that the Russian operation was designed to infiltrate conservative organizations. And they targeted various conservative organizations, religious and otherwise, and they seem to have made a very concerted effort to get in with the NRA.”
These allegations have prompted Sen. Ron Wyden to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission. The Senator also wants documents from the U.S. Treasury and the NRA.
Politicians enrich themselves from both personal finances and campaign support from sources hidden to the public. For all practical purposes, it is the donners who the politicians work for, not the public.
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Endnotes:
[i] Pro Publica (February 22, 2018). “National Rifle Association of America IRS Form 990 2015” (PDF). www.projects.propublica.org. Retrieved Feb 22, 2018.
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