Fri Dec 11, 2020 08:40 PM
Fri Dec 11, 2020 02:03 PM
“Russian operatives combed the American media to identify polarizing issues and then crafted social media messages to promote on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. The complaint follows two earlier indictments [in 2018] of Russians for election interference, including hacking Democratic computers.
“Borrowing a favorite political theme of conservatives and some members of the Trump administration, the Russians promoted the message of widespread voter fraud, arguing that stricter voter identification laws were needed to prevent Democrats from falsifying election results.
“The Russians sought to portray The New York Times, CNN, and other media organizations as untrustworthy and deeply biased against the president. They picked up on Mr. Trump’s favored term of “fake news,” accusing the mainstream media of deliberately spreading lies about the president.
“The Russians attacked “sanctuary cities” as havens for illegal immigrants who had committed heinous crimes, citing without evidence “an illegal rapist who raped an American child as the peak of wickedness.”
“Before Senator John McCain died in August 2018, hailed as a revered figure in American politics, the Russians crafted a message describing him as a lawmaker long past his prime who hated Mr. Trump and tried to subvert the president’s promises.”
More from the October 2018 analysis (linked via Jackie with my appreciation):
In a criminal complaint unsealed Friday, federal prosecutors described a Russian operation to sow political discord in the United States that began in 2014 and was then aimed at disrupting the midterm elections. The covert campaign was designed to inflame passions about hot-button issues and controversial figures, including the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, whose team was investigating Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential race.
Some messages appeared to praise President Trump or his policies and went after his opponents or fellow Republicans who disagreed with him. Posing as Americans, the Russians warned that threats of impeachment could be a prelude to civil war.
The Russians accused Mr. Mueller of bias, falsely claiming he had close ties to the Democratic Party and a history of scandals during his tenure as F.B.I. director.
A criminal complaint offered a rare view into how Russian operatives tried to disrupt the American political process, including the midterm elections.
Fri Dec 11, 2020 05:34 PM
“Trump’s presidency ends as it began: Without decency and without dignity,” Der Spiegel declared.
Fri Dec 11, 2020 05:34 PM
Inequality is reaching feudal proportions, where very few own almost everything, and everyone else is crushed under the wheel of engineered destitution.
Fri Dec 11, 2020 05:53 PM
Libertarians get their wish and build a libertarian-run town, but their ideology runs against reality.
Seriously, this happened. You should absolutely read about it.
Fri Dec 11, 2020 08:40 PM
Don Jr is the coke head in Die Hard who hits on Holly and tries to make a deal with the terrorists.
ADVERTISEMENT: Quickly import all of your Facebook content into your blog