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US conservative influencers say they are ‘victims’ of Russian disinformation campaign

A number of high-profile, conservative influencers in the US have said they are “victims” of an alleged Russian disinformation campaign, after the Biden administration accused Moscow of carrying out a sustained campaign to influence the outcome of November’s presidential elections.

Tim Pool and Benny Johnson published statements on Wednesday evening addressing allegations that a US content creation company they were associated with had been provided with nearly $10m from Russian state media employees to publish videos with messages in favour of Moscow’s interests and agenda, including over the war in Ukraine.

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Search topics on Ground.Newshttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/05/tim-pool-benny-johnson-influencers-russia-disinformation
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adespoton ,

It must be so easy at this point… Russia can start a rumour and then get American pundits to authoritatively go along with it because it reinforces what they want to believe.

acosmichippo ,
@acosmichippo@lemmy.world avatar

honestly makes me wonder why Russia even bothers anymore. the right is so far gone at this point they don’t need any help being crazy.

Bernie_Sandals ,
@Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world avatar

Probably just paying them to stay on message about Ukraine and stop rambling about random culture war issues like alleged elementary school school litter boxes.

NegativeInf ,

One must tend the flames of the fires they set, lest they burn out of their own accord.

mods_mum ,

Russia has always exerted their influence this way. This method became particularly prominent in the communist era. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Useful_idiot

Source: I’m a Pole and my grandfather was Lt Col of the Security Service en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Service_(Poland)

He told me useful idiots were a lot better in disseminating propaganda than dedicated agents or the illegals.

st3ph3n ,

These fucking shills claiming they are victims. Ugh.

Leate_Wonceslace ,
@Leate_Wonceslace@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

I mean, they might not even be wrong.

Doesn’t mean they’re not also perpetrators.

jonne ,

Yeah, Russia is funding all sorts of critics of the US government, some of them on the left too. Doesn’t necessarily mean they agree with Russia on everything. When RT was still allowed to broadcast in the US, people like Chris Hedges had a show on there.

Honestly, I don’t see how this indictment squares with the first amendment, especially after citizens united. If money is speech, what’s the difference between some American billionaire funding some guys that say things they agree with, and a foreign government/billionaire doing the same? If they’re banning Russian funding, why not ban Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, South China Morning Post, the BBC, etc?

linearchaos ,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

Yeah I think they’re trying to slide the left toward independents. It’s probably not all that hard with Gaza going on, except for the fact that Trump already spewed that dictator on day one b*******. As much as we’d like more progressive things to happen we’re absolutely certain what happens if Trump gets in and there’s plenty not to like on both sides.

MyTurtleSwimsUpsideDown ,

Per this article:

An indictment charging… conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering was unsealed today…

Between in or about October 2023 and in or about August 2024, RT sent wire transfers to U.S. Company-1 totaling approximately $9.7 million, which represented nearly 90% of U.S. Company-1’s bank deposits from all sources combined. The wires were sent from shell companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Mauritius, and were often accompanied by wire notes ascribing the payments to the purchase of electronics. For example, the wire note for a $318,800 wire payment from a shell entity in Turkey to U.S. Company-1 on March 1, read: “BUYING GOODS-INV.013-IPHONE 15 PRO MAX 512GB.”

U.S. Company-1 never disclosed to its viewers that it was funded and directed by RT. Nor did U.S. Company-1 or its two founders register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal

Fraud is generally considered to be a crime in exception to the first amendment.

FlyingSquid ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Victims that got rich off of their victimhood.

Jimmycakes ,

If you take advice from a man who never takes his beanie off you get what you get

partial_accumen ,

“Victims of”? No.

“Beneficiaries of”? Yes.

takeda ,

No, you see… They thought they were beneficiaries, but since trump is not doing so hot, they are not sure right now.

Donjuanme ,

And the ones that aren’t being paid for it are just pawns envious of the kings.

sgtlighttree ,

Honestly I am puzzled every time I see someone ragebaiting and/or having a very bad take without that wretched checkmark on X

InvertedParallax ,

When you do something and get paid for it? That’s called a job.

deadbeef79000 ,

The Russians are refusing to pay me so now I’m the victim!

Rekorse ,

Honestly I think they are admitting to being idiots.

FlyingSquid ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Their god-king told them that he loves the poorly educated back in 2016.

www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/…/80860078/

prole ,

Better than prison. These people could be in big trouble… But they won’t be because of their political views. They will get slaps on the wrist and allowed back to continue their campaigns of stochastic terrorism.

A2B2 ,

At least they admit they’re gullible fools

mods_mum ,

I think this goes well beyond gullibility

Daxtron2 ,

Russia definitely would play both sides to fuel it

mp3 ,
@mp3@lemmy.ca avatar

Tim Pool the Russian Tool™

Treczoks ,

One should add, they were willing victims of that campaign. We all remember what kind of senseless dribble they amplified that could have been discarded as false after a simple google search.

mPony ,

a) Certainly. b) FYI it’s “senseless drivel” which sounds almost exactly the same.

prole ,

Are they really “victims” if they were willing and profiting? Seems like you’re just an accomplice at that point.

EatATaco ,

I think it’s fair to call The Useful Idiot a victim.

Dagwood222 ,

Just remember this : when Mitt Romney called Russia our greatest threat in 2012 the GOP rushed to his defense. A decade later they were openly admiring Putin.

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