And Now The NRA!

[SciFiFisher]

It seems that the NRA has received a buttload of money from Russian and other foreign sources. They also spent over $30,000,000 on the Trump election. They claim that none of the foreign funding was sent directly to fund political actions. But, if you received a buttload of money from foreign sources and you used that money to pay for ordinary expenses and then channel the money you would have used to pay ordinary expenses into political actions doesn't that result in a violation of the law forbidding using foreign funding to directly or indirectly influence U.S. elections?

Not to mention that everywhere you look at the 2016 election cycle the Russians come up a lot.

[Thumper]

Does the NRA have any legitimate concerns or business in countries other than the US? Do they advocate for gun rights or sponsor firearm safety classes in other countries?

[SciFiFisher]

Does the NRA have any legitimate concerns or business in countries other than the US? Do they advocate for gun rights or sponsor firearm safety classes in other countries?

Apparently, they do. The article I linked to actually says that one of the main contributors to the NRA from Russia is "a member of the NRA" . He is also closely linked to Putin.

Russia has been cultivating the NRA since at least 2011. They have even had conventions in Russia about gun ownership which members of the NRA have attended. The irony is that gun ownership in Russia is severely restricted. Link number three below has a timeline of the current Russian involvement with the NRA.

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/29/58142455 ... r-the-left
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/01/59007694 ... s-revealed
https://medium.com/@LaddEveritt/from-ru ... c69088fe41

[Thumper]

You mean you wanted me to to read the links you posted?
(Thanks for the info)

[SciFiFisher]

You mean you wanted me to to read the links you posted?
(Thanks for the info)

Only if it won't get you in trouble with the net nanny.

[geonuc]

...But, if you received a buttload of money from foreign sources and you used that money to pay for ordinary expenses and then channel the money you would have used to pay ordinary expenses into political actions doesn't that result in a violation of the law forbidding using foreign funding to directly or indirectly influence U.S. elections? ...

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how the laws are written and interpreted. A lot of corporations do similar shenanigans with accounting to avoid taxes, for example. Churches, too.