Senate votes to release transcript of suspected Russian spy

[herding cats]

Source: ABC

The Senate is giving the FBI access to a transcript of a Senate Intelligence Committee interview with Maria Butina, a gun-rights activist suspected of being a covert Russian agent.

The 29-year-old Butina was arrested last month and is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia. Prosecutors have accused her of using sex and deception to forge influential connections.

Butina was interviewed by the Senate panel in April as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. In a voice vote Wednesday, the Senate allowed the committee to provide the transcript to the FBI and to Butina's lawyers.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and the top Democrat on the committee, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, said in a joint statement that they sought authorization from the full Senate to release the documents in response to requests from the Justice Department and a lawyer for Butina and will release it if it is not made public.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/senate-votes-release-transcript-russian-spying-suspect-56977675

[RockRaven]

1. Well, that's not good for her. I don't imagine she was entirely truthful in her testimony.

It's criminal to lie to the Senate committee whether under oath or not. I imagine the FBI will be busy fact-checking every single statement/answer she gave looking for provable lies. I can't imagine she made it through without uttering at least one. We'll see.

Not surprised the committee took the weaselly way out and did a voice vote so the Repukes didn't have to go on record and piss off their Putin-humping base.

[iluvtennis]

2. Wow, GOP is doing the right thing for once.