The National Rifle Association issued a statement in response to a report compiled by the Senate Finance Committee's Democratic staff that labels the gun rights group as a "foreign asset" to Russia.
The report was the result of an 18-month investigation and found the NRA underwrote political access for Russian nationals Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin, even though their ties to the Kremlin were known, according to NPR.
The report compiles emails from NRA officials and private interviews. The report also states then-NRA Vice President Pete Brownell had a trip to Russia for potential personal business opportunities partially covered by the NRA.
"This report promotes a politically motivated and contrived narrative. An avalanche of proof confirms that the NRA, as an organization, was never involved in the activities about which the Democrats write," counsel to the NRA William Brewer III said in a statement on Friday.
"This report goes to great lengths to try to involve the NRA in activities of private individuals and create the false impression that the NRA did not act appropriately. Nothing could be further from the truth. As noted by the committee Republicans in their rebuttal, this report is a transparent effort to justify yet another ‘fishing expedition’ into the NRA," he added.
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In regards to the trip, NRA Managing Director of Public Affairs Andrew Arulanandam said some members made "the trip of their own accord," pointing to how "the record reflects it was not an official NRA trip. NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre was opposed to it and, at his directive, no NRA staff members or employees attended."
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