Was Maria Butina an Unwitting FBI Honeypot?

Recent revelations from Patrick Byrne, former Overstock.com CEO, about his involvement in the infamous ‘Russia Collusion’ investigation and his relationship with the FBI and Russian national Maria Butina has left us all with some questions about just what the FBI was up too.

I reported back in February of 2019:

“Maria Butina, a Russian national who was arrested in July 2018 and charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation within the United States, reportedly tried to forge relationships with the National Rifle Association (NRA), conservative leaders and candidates in the 2016 presidential race, with the hope she would be able to exert influence over policy decisions as it relates to Russia.

Shes being investigated again by the Senate Finance Committee over high level meetings held in 2015 between Butina, Russian official Alexander Torshin, and the Obama Administration. 

The Committee noted that Butina and “Torshin met with Obama administration officials from the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve in 2015”. 

At the time, Mr. Torshin was the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and yet later, after the meeting in April of 2018 he was added to a list of Russian Nationals sanctioned by the Treasury Department. ” – Patriots Soapbox

After comments that were made by the Obama Administration about the so-called ‘Russian Reset’ one has to wonder if this meeting was held to direct Ms. Butina to try to infiltrate these conservative circles, knowing she could act as a walking FISA surveillance virus towards anyone she came into contact with. This could have allowed incidental umbrella surveillance of the Trump campaign (among others) if they could somehow plant her into the campaigns orbit.

Patrick Byrne Describes Maria Butina as a Walking FISA Virus – Also Names: Peter Strzok, Bill Priestap, John Carlin, Andrew McCabe and James Comey… https://t.co/iikof7fT9y pic.twitter.com/qx0mem1HKG

— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) August 23, 2019

Perhaps Mr. Torshin was promised when Hillary Clinton is elected, Putin could expect more Uranium One type deals flowing his way.

According to Sundance of the Conservative Treehouse:

“After appearing on Fox Business, former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne appeared on Fox TV with Martha MacCallum.  In this interview Byrne explained his impetus for contacting the FBI in 2015, about Russian national Maria Butina, surrounded a low-level security clearance he held and a responsibility to report suspicious contacts.

Mr. Byrne then names Peter Strzok, Bill Priestap, Andrew McCabe and James Comey as the top of an operation where Byrne was instructed to guide Butina into the contact circle of republican presidential candidates in 2015, and then back away.

Curiously, if you get beyond the confusing mess of communication, what Byrne is describing does factually align with what is already known. However, Byrne is describing an aspect to the DOJ/FBI operation that has not been discussed very much.

Byrne is describing the DOJ-NSD and FBI using Russian national Maria Butina as an unwitting, walking, FISA surveillance virus.” – The Conservative Treehouse

According to the Epoch Times, Ms. Butina’s attorneys have claimed Mr. Byrne had given exculpatory evidence regarding Ms. Butina to the FBI:

“The attorney for Maria Butina, the Russian national serving time in prison for failing to register as a foreign agent, told senior Justice Department officials in late July that the CEO of Overstock.com had provided exculpatory evidence on Butina to the FBI as part of a years-long non-standard relationship with the bureau.

The July 25, 2019, letter by Butina’s attorney, Robert Driscoll, matches the allegations Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne made on Fox News and CNN on Aug. 22. Byrne resigned as the CEO of Overstock the same day due to the concerns that his involvement with the government investigations may impact the company.

Byrne told Driscoll—as well as Fox News and CNN—that he kept the FBI appraised of the details of his interactions with Butina while maintaining a romantic relationship with her. As part of the reporting, Byrne told the bureau he was convinced that Butina was “not an agent of the Russian government or someone involved in espionage or illegal activities,” Driscoll wrote.” – The Epoch Times 

It has also come to light that during this time frame, Peter Strzok’s wife Melissa Hodgman may have used her position at the SEC to pressure the Overstock CEO by initiating an investigation into all of his companies:

UNREAL. SEC Enforcement Division launched the investigation into all of Byrne’s companies in 2018, the same division that Strzok’s wife works as Associate Director. @JusticeOIG @TheJusticeDept @USAttyHuber DO SOMETHING. pic.twitter.com/nZN67Y0WQL

— Rosie memos (@almostjingo) August 23, 2019

https://t.co/rN9dNdKlRV

— Tyler DIR DIN (@SquaresToCubes) August 23, 2019

According to Brass Balls, Strzok’s wife may be playing a very important role in the corruption we see:

“Melissa Hodgman-Strzok (Strock) was put in charge of the Clinton Foundation investigation three weeks before the last Presidential election. She has been blocking it ever since.

Mrs. Strzok, pictured above, is Associate Director of the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

She heads their International Division.

She reviews the evidence and determines what international securities, fraud, and other financial cases will be prosecuted by the Justice Department. 

And investigated by the FBI.

If she does nothing, investigations like the Clinton Foundation go no where. Over the last 21 months, where has it gone?

https://www.sec.gov/news/pressrelease/2016-217.html

She was appointed to her current position two days after her husband found out that the New York office of the FBI found 650,000 emails on a lap top in another criminal case.

The emails were from and to Hillary Clinton.” – Brass Balls