Politics - News Analysis

NRA Bankruptcy Opens Door to Very Peculiar Clue: NRA Invoice to Law Firm, Marked ‘Russia’, Tip of the Iceberg?

Civil suits against corporations or “non-profits” (in quotes because the NRA was all about profit) provide one of the only means to really look behind the door at the often ugly, cynical, powerful, and greed-driven business that existed only to fill Wayne LaPierre’s voracious need for luxury and pampering. He felt entitled to live like a billionaire on small donations from people terrified to lose their guns. All of it has been pretty well documented, though the need to hide in a giant luxury yacht to avoid a lone wolf seeking retribution was the cherry on top. It was the only place he felt safe. Where was the safe room for kids at Sandy Hook?

All of that has been covered. Equally true, reports established the Russian-NRA connection, right on down to the irresistible red-head woman spy who seemed to specialize in finding beds to occupy with powerful men in the NRA-far right movement. One of the long held (back to Soviet days) strategies to take over the United States involved occupying a special interest group as a vehicle to control a party. And so they did, to the tune of tens of millions.

It all worked too well. Reports surfaced. The Russians pulled back as the stakes got too high. Eventually there would be another president and the dangers associated with that president declaring a cold war against Russia (again) were real. Now, though, we are seeing evidence emerge regarding the NRA’s relationship with Russia.

Some comes from the NRA bankruptcy proceedings, in which there is a discovery process. Within this process, we’ve seen embarrassing details, but today we saw the first link to Russia, and it’s a peculiar link. Raw stuff from our wonderful friends at Rawstory:

Looking at expenditures from the NRA, the Brewer law firm sent the NRA an invoice to general counsel John Frazer’s office in 2020 for $59,155.25. It was marked “Russia.”

Firm Ackerman McQueen, the NRA’s former PR firm before their falling out, questioned Frazer about it while he was testifying on the stand. There was an objection, “citing confidentiality,” said Klasfeld. Judge Harlin Hale struck the questions about it from the record.

American legal firms working on legal issues for another country must report the activity so as to be transparent regarding who is working for who and whether one is acting as an agent for another country.

The lack of registration is the least of the issues.

Why is an American law firm, one working for the NRA, sending an invoice to the NRA marked “Russia”? We need more context obviously. We do know that the NRA objected to admitting the invoice into evidence, citing confidentiality, (Attorney client privilege?). The NRA didn’t want the invoice in the record. We have all read reports that Russia kept the NRA afloat as a means to keep the MAGAs on board with Trump. The judge overruled the objection. The invoice is evidence.

Again, we need more context. But an American lawfirm working on legal issues involving the NRA and any Russian issue is a big problem for the NRA. If we had to hazard a guess, the legal work would have involved finding quasi-legal vehicles to get the money from Russia to the NRA – we do not know.

But it is odd, the NRA paid a bill marked “Russia.” Of course they did. What was the option, Russia paying the bill? No.

This matters, and as Rachel would say, watch this space. We have often thought that Russian support of Trump was one of the keys to putting Trump in prison. A conflict in office at that level would be the ultimate nightmare. And, of course, remember – Trump never once crossed Russia, preferred to argue with his own government, even when Russia paid bounties, nothing go to Trump.

Why? We need the ultimate answer.

****
Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @JasonMiciak

meet the author

Jason Miciak is a political writer, features writer, author, and attorney. He is originally from Canada but grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He now enjoys life as a single dad raising a ridiculously-loved young girl on the beaches of the Gulf Coast. He is very much the dreamy mystic, a day without learning is a day not lived. He is passionate about his flower pots and studies philosophical science, religion, and non-mathematical principles of theoretical physics. Dogs, pizza, and love are proof that God exists. "Above all else, love one another."

Comments

Comments are currently closed.