Russia’s Butina Tells Judge She Wants to Change ‘Not Guilty’ Plea
- Gun-rights activist befriended NRA and GOP leaders in U.S.
- Butina is accused of acting as an undeclared agent of Kremlin
This article is for subscribers only.
Maria Butina, the Russian gun-rights activist who befriended leaders of the National Rifle Association and the Republican Party and then was accused of acting as an undeclared agent of the Kremlin, has decided to change her plea of not guilty.
In a court filing early Monday, Butina’s lawyers asked a federal judge to convene a hearing for her to change her plea, signaling she might admit guilt. She pleaded not guilty in July after her arrest on charges of conspiracy and allegations she was acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.