The federal government has more than 1.5 million files in its case against Maria Butina, a U.S. attorney revealed in court Wednesday.
Tom Saunders, an assistant U.S. attorney, told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, that the federal government is ready to turn over 4 to 6 terabytes of data, or 1.5 million files, to the defense so they can prepare for trial.
An additional 1.5 million files are being prepared to also be turned over and will be ready in the next two to three weeks, Saunders said.
Butina was arrested earlier this month on charges of failure to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy against the U.S. The 29-year-old Russian national, who was attending American University for an advanced degree, has pleaded not guilty.
[More: Moscow: Maria Butina is being framed]
In a court filing on Tuesday, the federal government revealed it also has “numerous witnesses” lined up to testify about Butina’s alleged activities working to influence U.S. politicians and political organizations on behalf of the Russian government.
The federal government said it is also asking for a protective order, which lays out how the material — known in the court as the discovery — is handled by the defense. Saunders argued the government wants a full protective order over all the materials, after Butina’s attorney, Robert Driscoll, said the defense “should have free rein” with it.
Saunders cited remarks by Driscoll on cable news in recent days, and said they “magnified” the government’s worry that Butina’s defense would use information in the discovery to disclose it publicly to the media.
A protection order would also “facilitate the protection of the investigation, not only in this case, but in other cases as well,” said Saunders.
Driscoll argued that they should be able to get materials that were in Butina’s possession before her arrest, such as her diary or personal notes on her computer.
The judge was hesitant to disagree, citing this investigation, and others, by the federal government.
Chutkan said the federal government has until Aug. 8 to outline the scope of its proposed protective order, and Butina’s lawyer will have a week to respond before she rules.
Following the hearing, Driscoll briefly told reporters that he was “confident that Ms. Butina will be vindicated at the end of this process.”
