From the article linked in the OP:
"As part of the deal, Ms. Butina admitted to being involved in an organized effort, backed by Russian officials, to open up unofficial lines of communication with influential Americans in the N.R.A. and in the Republican Party, and to win them over to the idea of Russia as a friend, not a foe."
What exactly did she do that was illegal... try to make friends and influence people? Is it illegal for Russians to come over and establish friendships? Is there something illegal about the idea of "Russia as a friend, not a foe"?
If she did something that was illegal... fine.. she should have to pay the price. I see nothing illegal here. What law did she break?
Butina's main fault was
she was a Russian in USA and a big Trump supporter.
And she was guilty because.... she was present at Trump's rally and asked him a question and took a picture of her with Congress building at the background! Gosh, a lot of people have pictures like those, they ALL must be Russian spies!
Diplomat emphasizes US ‘espionage’ arrest timed to undercut Putin-Trump summit
Can anybody imagine if Russians caught an American student in Moscow and started accusing her in being “American spy” just because she asked Putin a question during his press-conference and took a picture of herself with Kremlin in the background? Nonsense.
Politics:
Our inquiry into Ms. Butina recently lead us to documents showing that while acting as a Kremlin asset,
she approached every single registered voter in the country and, ultimately, exchanged sexual favors for each of the nearly 63 million votes President Trump received,
https://politics.theonion.com/fbi-reveals-maria-butina-traded-sex-in-exchange-for-all-1827731038
Butina was kept in tough conditions for several month, she could plea guilty for anything.
Russian diplomats, who visited Russian citizen Maria Butina in a Washington jail:
"The prison administration has resumed the inhumane practice of regular night checks, made every 15 minutes. This practice is applied to inmates prone to suicide," the statement reads, adding that Butina "gave no reasons to be considered as such."
"In breach of all humanitarian norms, Maria was denied the right to receive letters in Russian under the pretext that they contain ‘encrypted messages.’
"She is not receiving due medical assistance. Her leg, which has swollen due to constant low temperature in her cell, is getting worse. She is given painkillers instead of treatment and began to limp. Creating such conditions for our citizen, who has not yet been convicted and still remains in the status of the suspect, is inadmissible," the embassy said.
After visiting Butina in US jail, Russian diplomats to send note to Department of State
While our justice system has always upheld the presumption of
“innocent until proven guilty,” the relentless negative press surrounding Butina’s arrest presumes her guilt. So far,
the evidence mostly shows that she is simply a strong supporter of the right to bear arms, has advocated for this right in Russia, and genuinely hoped for improved Russia-U.S. relations. These are not crimes.
Russia Hysteria Undercuts Our Values, Impedes Relations | RealClearPolitics
