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Why has the NRA been cozying up to Rossia? P'age 2of13 But no attention was given to the ties between the NRA,a Russian gun-rights group run by a twenty-something gun activist named Maria Butina, and her close friend and boss, the deputy governor of the Russian central bank,Alexander Torshin. Why does an American gun group that promotes gun rights as a defense against tyranny align itself with a group with close ties to an authoritarian regirne? Why would Putin allies boild a grassroots non profit to loosen Russia's gun laws, rather than just enaet them? Experts who spoke to ThinkProgress say they are not sure, bat they diseussed whether the whole arrangenent is a cover for a larger effort to undermine American sanctions against Russia. A meeting in Moscow On December 1t, 2015, in the depths of a biting Moseow wintor, The. Right to Bear Arms hosted a delegation from its American counterpart, the NRA.David Keene,an NRA board member and forner national president of the organization, flew to Russia to attend the evont. Also at that meeting were NRa First Viee Preskdent Pete Brownel, CEO of the world's largest firearm aecessories supphier; NRA funder Dr. Arnold Gokdschlager and his daughter.. NRA Women's Leadership Forun executive conmittee member Hilary Coldsehalger; and Qutdoor Life channel head Jin Liberatore. Perhaps the most famous guest at the gathering, trading his custornary uniform for a blaek leather vest over a button-down shirt, was Milwaukee County Sheriff and Fox News regular David A. Clarke. 1(182107)-23 hutps://thinkprogress.org/nra-and~russian-cousin-18f607d40240