Maria Butina made an emotional plea to Judge Tanya Chutkan to be released immediately with a ruling of time served. Instead, she received an 18-month sentence.
鈥淯pset鈥� is how her attorney Robert Driscoll described her reaction immediately after the proceeding ended.
Unlike the commanding, self-assured speaker that appears in videos all over the internet, Butina spoke to the court with a quivery voice asking to be forgiven for the mistake of not registering as a foreign agent.
Referring to Chutkan聽as 鈥渄ear Judge” several times during a 12 minute oratory, she said her objective was 鈥渢o build bridges between my motherland, Russia, and the United States.鈥�
Wearing a green prison jumpsuit with her long brown hair flowing over her shoulders, she told Chutkan, she 鈥渘ever intended鈥� to cause any harm to Americans. But in a forlorn voice, seemingly close to tears, she acknowledged her actions did just that.
Chutkan thoughtfully listened to her remarks, later telling Butina later was intelligent, personable and kind. The judge noted the many letters and documents the court had received vouching for Butina鈥檚 character.
Chutkan even admitted Butina鈥檚 reputation had suffered because of the case, and told her she would bounce back.
However, she would not accept Butina鈥檚 claim that she didn鈥檛 know she needed to register as a foreign agent. Chutkan said Butina鈥檚 鈥渇riendship dinners鈥� and other engagements with Americans in political and cultural circles were a part of an attempt to establish a political 鈥渂ack channel鈥� to the Kremlin.
She added that Butina was trying to collect information that would help the Russian government as it sought to interfere in the 2016 Presidential election.
Driscoll reflected on Chutkan鈥檚 comments saying, 鈥淚 was frustrated that the judge got caught up in this 鈥楻ussia narrative,鈥�” referring to the Justice Department鈥檚 Special Counsel Investigation.
He added, Butina 鈥渨as surprised by the sentence鈥� and 鈥渧ery disappointed in this country.鈥�
