CPAC head: Alleged Russian agent was not a VIP

The chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) pushed back Wednesday on a report that the Russian woman charged with conspiring to infiltrate U.S. organizations with political influence was a given access to VIP areas at the annual event.

CPAC head Matt Schlapp said in a series of tweets Wednesday that the group doesn’t know Maria Butina, and that she only purchased a general access CPAC ticket, meaning she wouldn’t be able to have VIP access.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Butina, who faces charges including failure to register as a foreign agent, was able to speak with top leaders and staff for the convention, quoting an unnamed “veteran CPAC attendee.”

“The reporter never called. Post is incorrect. We have no relationship w butina. She had no VIP access. She had one low level ticket one yr,” tweeted Schlapp, who also serves as an opinion contributor for The Hill.

He added that he personally doesn’t know Butina, and that CPAC “had no projects w her.”

Federal authorities arrested and charged Butina on Monday with conspiring to work for the Russian government. A grand jury indicted her on Tuesday.

Hey Rosalind, @costareports you didn’t call us. We don’t know butina, She bought 1 ga ticket. No VIP access. Bad sources. Next time call. https://t.co/qh9aLCbf1u

— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) July 18, 2018 

Every reporter who goes to cpac knows how silly it is to hype someone buying a ticket to cpac. It’s open to the public. https://t.co/qh9aLCbf1u

— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) July 18, 2018 

The reporter never called. Post is incorrect. We have no relationship w butina. She had no VIP access. She had one low level ticket one yr. https://t.co/ibgeqBTLXi

— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) July 18, 2018 

Jimmy let’s get down to it. I don’t know her; we had no projects w her. She bought the cheapest ticket. She was not a big player, not a VIP https://t.co/LLqim7P3hA

— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) July 18, 2018