Harriman student Danielle Neftin (SIPA ’22) published an op-ed about Maria Butina in the Daily Beast. In 2018, Butina pled guilty to acting as an agent for the Russian Federation the U.S. Recently, she became a representative in the Russian Duma.

“In America, we celebrate the grand legends around ‘rags to riches’ and ‘strong women’ who rise against all challenges to pursue their dreams. A simple look into Butina’s history reveals this familiar story,” writes Neftin. Read the full article, condensed from a longer version originally written for Professor Peter Clement’s class at the Harriman Institute/SIPA.