the judge ruling that maria buttina remain in jail. she pled not guilty today to charges of conspiracy and acting as a foreign agent. court details are what you would find in a spy novel. on the night donald trump was elected she messaged her then boss putin associate i am going to sleep, it's 3:00 a.m. i'm ready for further orders. joining me now is david corn, also with me is malcolm nance. welcome tonight. david let's start with you. this indictment, this action against this woman is not actually part of the mueller investigation, but sure is spicy, what do you make of it? >> it shows this was another way the kremlin that russian intelligence might have been trying to penetrate american politics. they are very savvy. they got this woman, maria buttina and her boss to burrow their way into the nra and other conservative groups where they would meet republican officials and politicians and try to use those connections to broker a meeting putin. as a strong indication of how the russians have a pretty good idea of how to gain influence

court papers paint maria buttina with the russian spell negligence service. buttina -- >> she's not an agent of the russian government, or the russian government, she's not guilty of the charges against her. >> reporter: she also is reported to be part of the spy agency that's connected to the kgb. and sources tell cnn she had a romantic relationship with paul ericson, a former board member of the american conservative union who attempted to make inroads with the romney and trump campaigns but was never particularly successful. since the court filing only referred to him as person 1, the charges -- erickson previously told mcclatchey news that he co- -- erickson if he tried to set up a meeting between trump and putin. >> i was just wondering if you would be willing to talk to us about what the u.s. times is reporting, about you trying to set up a meeting between president trump and putin. >> oh, yeah, it didn't exactly happen that way. >> the man who mentioned buttina has been sanctioned by the u.s. and messaged herr one month. she earned a 4.0 at american un

i mean, maria buttina was arrested yesterday and being charged. john bolten, not that long ago was persuaded to make a video address for her supposed gun rights group in russia. >> today, you're engaged in an historic debate about the possible expansion of your freedoms. should the russian people have the right to bear arms? >> today according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in washington, d.c., the person who arranged for john bolton to make that address on russian gun rights, she was charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of the russian federation within the united states. the fbi's investigation has revealed that maria buttina was working in the direction of an unnamed russian official who was named as a high level official in the russian government previously a member of the legislature of the russian federation and later became a top official at the russian central bank. that russian official isn't named in the criminal complaint but it is clear as a bell that he is alexander, her long time associate. as described today, he

look at this, from emily singer from the website mike, she tweeted out a picture saying that's maria buttinathe background in the oval office with trump. a bombshell, except it wasn't true. it wasn't buttina in the background, it was an nsc staffer. but think then, the damage was done, sanders said it was a case of media hysteria, what singer needed at that moment was an editor, someone to check, to tap the brakes before blasting this tweet out into the world. that's the only way the press is going to be able to keep asking the questions that are so vital right now. you have questions, i have questions and we need answers and hopefully journalists will continue trying to get them. we'll see you next week here on "reliable sources." >>> russia recoil. >> what have you promised vladimir putin, sir? >> after a week of walking back statements that upended the world. >> the statement should have said i don't see any reason why it wouldn't be russia. >> president trump is still facing fire from all sides. >> i don't think russia interfered in our elections, in fact i know he didn't. >> senator mar