After the NRA’s campaign expenditures jumped in 2016, the group started fielding questions about the money’s sources. The answers keep getting more interesting.
After the National Rifle Association’s campaign expenditures saw a dramatic jump in 2016, the group started fielding questions about the money’s sources. The answers keep getting more interesting.
McClatchy News first reported in January that the FBI is exploring whether “a top Russian banker with ties to the Kremlin illegally funneled money” to the NRA to help Trump win the presidency. The same outlet reported two weeks ago that a former NRA board member, had “concerns” about the group’s ties to Russia “and its possible involvement in channeling Russian funds into the 2016 elections.”
Politico reported soon after that the Federal Election Commission has launched “a preliminary investigation into whether Russian entities gave illegal contributions” to the far-right group.
NPR moved the ball forward a bit with a new report today, noting that the organization acknowledges accepting money from foreign sources, though the NRA denies anything improper.
The NRA’s argument was presented in writing in a letter to the Oregon senator from the group’s general counsel, John Frazer. He added that while the organization has accepted money from companies based in the U. S. which may be owned or managed by foreign nationals, “none of those entities or individuals is connected with Russia, and none of their contributions were made in connection with U. S. elections.”
The NPR report added that Wyden, unsatisfied, has asked the group to “provide a detailed accounting of how foreign funds were used over the past three years, whether they were targeted at particular American audiences, and what its measured impact was.” The senator also wants to know “whether any Russian nationals or foreign individuals had been members of the NRA’s donor programs, and whether the NRA received any money from sanctioned individuals.”
Whether the NRA intends to provide that information is not yet clear.
There are several interesting angles to this, but I’d keep two questions in mind. First, is the NRA’s account accurate? Given the organization’s track record, some skepticism is probably in order.
And second, when the NRA says none of its foreign donations were used for election purposes, how does that work, exactly? Because money is fungible, and the NRA transfers money between its various accounts and entities, isn’t this a difficult case to make?
