Breitbart reported that the two RT employees funneled $10 million into a media company [Tenet Media] run by anti-Trump conservative influencer Lauren Chen and her husband that published videos that contained “commentary on events and issues in the United States, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy.” Tenet reportedly never disclosed that it had been “funded and directed” by RT, with neither the company nor its founders registering with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. The company allegedly had business arrangements with popular influencers such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern as talent. CBS reported that “One unidentified influencer’s contract included a $400,000 monthly fee, a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus.” One common thread between the influencers named in the indictment is skepticism of US policy in Ukraine, which Russia may have wished to amplify.
Russian President Putin is believed to be trolling Democrats after he said he supports Vice President Kamala Harris to win the presidential election in November over Donald Trump and joked about her “infectious” laugh, which some find irritating, as a reason to prefer her over Donald Trump. US intelligence agencies believe Putin is hoping for Trump to take the White House in November, given his skepticism over US funding of Ukraine’s war machine. Putin’s public endorsement of Kamala Harris could hurt her in the election. -JW Williams
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From RT via InfoWars:
The administration of US President Joe Biden is planning to accuse Russia of meddling in this year’s presidential election, and will announce “law enforcement action” against those supposedly responsible, CNN reported on Wednesday. RT will be the prime target of this action, the network stated.
The White House will accuse Russia on Wednesday of “a sustained effort to influence the 2024 US elections” by using “Kremlin-run media” to spread so-called “disinformation,” CNN reported, citing US government sources.
Alongside a public condemnation from the White House, the US Department of Justice will announce “law enforcement action targeting the covert Russian campaign,” the network said.
RT is “a major focus of the US announcement,” CNN added, noting that “US officials see the Russian outlet as a key piece of Kremlin propaganda efforts.”
“Dear CNN,” RT’s press office responded following Wednesday’s article. “We certainly have a response. Actually, we have several, but we couldn’t decide on one (we even thought of running an office poll), so here they are:
Are you interested in joining G. Edward Griffins online coalition? Are you interested in earning while educating those around you of the realties that are being rewritten or lied about? Become an affiliate today! Register Here!
1. Ha!
2. Hahahaha!
3. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
4. 2016 called and it wants its clichés back
5. Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections
6. We gotta earn our Kremlin paycheck somehow
7. Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it’s not because of her
SINCERELY,
RT Press Office”
Democrats like Biden have accused Russia of interfering in the last two presidential elections. During the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, US intelligence agencies repeatedly claimed that Moscow was deploying hackers and using “information warfare” to swing the vote in favor of Donald Trump. These allegations, coupled with claims that Trump had colluded with Moscow to win the election, formed the basis for a two-year investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but were ultimately found to be baseless.
In 2020, more than 50 “former intelligence officials” published a letter claiming that files on Hunter Biden’s laptop – which implicated the Biden family in multiple foreign corruption schemes – were fabricated by Russia. The laptop’s contents have since been proven genuine.
Throughout the past decade, American officials have repeatedly accused RT of spreading “disinformation” – a term that these officials rarely define. Back in 2017, the Department of Justice forced RT America to register as a foreign agent, after a host of US intelligence agencies claimed that RT had helped to elect Trump by publishing “negative coverage” of Clinton and criticizing the US’ “corrupt political establishment.”
From Breitbart:
The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment Wednesday alleging that two Russian nationals working for President Vladimir Putin’s government funneled millions of dollars into a media company run by anti-Trump conservative influencer Lauren Chen.
“An indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York charged Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, both based in Moscow, with conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act,” CBS News reported on Wednesday.
The two defendants worked for the Russian state-controlled outlet RT, formerly known as Russia Today, before it was disbanded in the United States following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Federal prosecutors said RT oversaw a series of ‘covert projects’ that included funneling $10 million through a series of shell entities to a Tennessee-based company launched in 2023 that publishes videos on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter,” added CBS News.
The indictment charged that the videos published by the company contained “commentary on events and issues in the United States, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy.”
“While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, the subject matter and content of the videos are often consistent with the Government of Russia’s interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Government of Russia interests, such as its ongoing war in Ukraine,” noted the indictment.
The indictment does not name the company, only noting that it bills itself as a “network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.” Reporters identified the company as Tenet Media, which says on its website:
Tenet Media is a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues. Our goal is to support creators who question institutions that believe themselves to be above questioning. In our view, all issues du jour merit rigorous and honest discussion if one wants to come closest to the truth. For those interested in authentic coverage of the topics that matter most, Tenet Media is your home for content : fearless voices live here.
The company allegedly had business arrangements of varying depths and duration with popular influencers such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern as talent.
Most of those listed have voiced pro-Trump opinions, though Chen herself had turned on the former president.
The indictment clarified that at least two talents – Tim Pool being one – were “deceived” by Tenet Media’s two founders, Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan. Per CBS News:
Records with the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office show that Tenet Media incorporated on Jan. 19, 2022, the same date of incorporation mentioned in the indictment, and is headquartered in Nashville. It was founded by Liam Donovan and his wife, Lauren Chen. The founders are referred to as Founder-1 and Founder-2 in the indictment and prosecutors said they jointly run the company.
Tenet reportedly never disclosed that it had been “funded and directed” by RT, with neither the company nor its founders registering with the Justice Department as a foreign agent.
Tim Pool described himself as a “victim” in a statement on social media, charging that he had full editorial control of his show and at no point issued any talking points at Russia’s behest.
“Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed,” Pool said.
Tim Pool later deleted his statement, but commented on his show, saying that he had never produced content at anyone’s behest, and that had simply agreed to allow some of his content to be licensed.
Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson issued a similar statements. On social media, Johnson said that his lawyers had negotiated a “standard, arms length deal” that was later terminated.
“A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise,” said Johnson.
“These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period. … The DoJ has never contacted me regarding this matter and I have no intention to comment further,” said Dave Rubin.
The sums of money paid were large. CBS notes: “One unidentified influencer’s contract included a $400,000 monthly fee, a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus.”
Former Breitbart News editor and Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka said he had been approached by Chen to produce content for Tenet, and had turned down the money after doing his “due diligence.”
“The money looked great. But I wanted to know where it was coming from,” he said in a post on X. “After pushing repeatedly she gave me names of people who had no internet footprint — like one Eduard Grigoriann — or who had zero media connections. I mean none.
Link for Newsweek article about Putin endorsing Kamala Harris
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IF it is true, that Putin backs Harris, it is only because he rather deal with “stupid”, rather than Trump!
It was sarcasm.
I do not believe this statement that Putin supports Harris.
Putin is brilliant. Throwing the “Russian Election Interference” BS back on the Dems. I hope he pursues it. That might make them drop the subject.
We gotta crack down on this Russian influence over the Democratic party.
hehehehahaha