MAGA influencers funded by Russia

[TrailGuy 552]

NEW YORK (AP) — They have millions of followers online. They have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was president. And they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation, U.S. prosecutors say.

An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers — including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were “often consistent” with the Kremlin’s “interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition” to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine.

In addition to marking the third straight presidential election in which U.S. authorities have unveiled politically charged details about Russia’s attempted interference in U.S. politics, an indictment indicates how Moscow may be attempting to capitalize on the skyrocketing popularity of right-wing podcasters, livestreamers and other content creators who have found successful careers on social media in the years since Trump was in office.

https://apnews.com/article/russian-interference-presidential-election-influencers-trump-999435273dd39edf7468c6aa34fad5dd

[5-Points 3,385]

 

[TrailGuy 552]

26 minutes ago, 5-Points said:

 

Must hurt to admit you were duped so badly.  Safe space werds.

[lickin_starfish 1,888]

Russia!

[Alias Detective 1,388]

I just cashed my check from Putin himself!

[HellToupee 1,582]

oh noes comrades they figured it out

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

So when you read the indictment it looks like the issue is more that the founders of the company are the ones most closely tied to this and not the commentators exactly.

What will be interesting to see is how the journalistic influence of the owners based on the money may have affected commentaries. Or did it affect which videos got featured and presented to the general public? So I will hold judgement on the individual commentators for now.

It does call into question though this- lots of people (including many here) like to post these videos from guys like Pool and Johnson and claim "they are doing this on their own and aren't owned by the MSM." But this clearly shows they are honoring some master either explicitly or implicitly and they have agendas like anyone else. It's especially bad when it is private equity firms doing this stuff that aren't held to any kind of journalistic integrity. 

[Dizkneelande 1,085]

46 minutes ago, TrailGuy said:

Must hurt to admit you were duped so badly.  Safe space werds.

Chen has encouraged Republicans to withhold their vote for Trump for not being “conservative” and “pro-life” enough, she has advocated against the 19th Amendment, and said Hamas rioters on college campuses were being arrested for “free speech”

She has stated that Trump has abandoned “Christian conservatives” for the “Enriques and Jamals” 

So what you’re saying is Putin ran an op to get Harris elected. This actually makes sense. Harris is too scared to take a question on the tarmac. Putin prefers her weakness to Trump’s strength.

[jonmx 2,424]

Hunter Biden takes millions from the Chinese and Ukraine.  Bidens are compromised.  

The US government is by far the largest provider of propaganda worldwide.  

The Biden campaign funds hundreds of internet influences with undisclosed payments.

 

[Hardcore troubadour 14,905]

Fang fang

[Tree of Knowledge 1,689]

I don’t post anything before I run it past my KGB sponsors.  

[TrailGuy 552]

1 hour ago, Dizkneelande said:

Chen has encouraged Republicans to withhold their vote for Trump for not being “conservative” and “pro-life” enough, she has advocated against the 19th Amendment, and said Hamas rioters on college campuses were being arrested for “free speech”

She has stated that Trump has abandoned “Christian conservatives” for the “Enriques and Jamals” 

So what you’re saying is Putin ran an op to get Harris elected. This actually makes sense. Harris is too scared to take a question on the tarmac. Putin prefers her weakness to Trump’s strength.

If you think Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and others are trying to elect Harris you must be joking.

Putin has a history supporting Trump and continues to support Trump so he can end the Ukraine funding and Putin can win the war.  Any other conclusion is laughable.

[Cloaca du jour 2,147]

What inbred Alias is this??

[seafoam1 2,797]

[Ron 'Tator Salad' White 116]

19 minutes ago, Cloaca du jour said:

What inbred Alias is this??

Same as always Hack or Rusty

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

This popped up on Reddit yesterday from a Tim Pool commentary. The video with him pounding the table as he says it is pretty funny:

 

Quote

This is psychotic. Ukraine is the enemy of this country. Ukraine is our enemy. Being funded by the Democrats, I will stress again, one of the greatest enemies of our nation right now is Ukraine. They are expanding this war. Now, don’t get me wrong. I know you’ve got criminal elements of the US government pushing them and guiding them and telling them what to do. Ukraine is now accused. A German warrant issued for blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline is triggering this conflict. Ukraine is the greatest threat to this nation and to the world. We should rescind all funding and financing, pull out all military support, and we should apologize to Russia.

 

[listen2me 23 1,825]

Our cities are burning!

[The Real timschochet 6,389]

I don’t care. But then I don’t care about George Soros either. 

[Herbivore 1,113]

1 hour ago, Sean Mooney said:

This popped up on Reddit yesterday from a Tim Pool commentary. The video with him pounding the table as he says it is pretty funny:

 

 

there is a actual live video of Tim Pool saying that?

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

1 minute ago, Herbivore said:

there is a actual live video of Tim Pool saying that?

https://old.reddit.com/r/JoeRogan/comments/1f9504t/flashback_tim_pool_pounds_the_table_and_yells/

[Hawkeye21 2,379]

Other countries are doing this.  They have thousands of fake accounts that post on social media to stir things up.  Most of them are pretty obvious.

[5-Points 3,385]

3 hours ago, TrailGuy said:

Must hurt to admit you were duped so badly.  Safe space werds.

 

[Dizkneelande 1,085]

2 hours ago, TrailGuy said:

If you think Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and others are trying to elect Harris you must be joking.

Putin has a history supporting Trump and continues to support Trump so he can end the Ukraine funding and Putin can win the war.  Any other conclusion is laughable.

Show me where they are listed in the indictment as defendants? 

[Fnord 2,049]

3 minutes ago, Dizkneelande said:

Show me where they are listed in the indictment as defendants? 

They aren't. They're just willing dupes whose opinions and podcasts are for sale. In this case, the Russians paid them. And the garbage they spew becomes rightie dogma.

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

1 minute ago, Fnord said:

They aren't. They're just willing dupes whose opinions and podcasts are for sale. In this case, the Russians paid them. And the garbage they spew becomes rightie dogma.

Exactly. And again- it may just be that they were unwilling pawns in this but it does call into question the content of what they are saying.

Of course- it won't matter to the people here who share their stuff as gospel

[Dizkneelande 1,085]

2 minutes ago, Fnord said:

They aren't. They're just willing dupes whose opinions and podcasts are for sale. In this case, the Russians paid them. And the garbage they spew becomes rightie dogma.

Cry harder 

[5-Points 3,385]

Putin Endorses Harris

Having previously favored a second term for Joe Biden, Putin said Russia now wants US Vice President Kamala Harris to win in November because she’d been endorsed by the incumbent Democrat.

“Biden was our favorite but he dropped out of the race,” Putin said in response to a question at the Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary session in Russia’s Vladivostok on Thursday. “But he recommended that all of his supporters support Harris, so we will as well.”

 

Putin said Biden was “predictable” when he told state television in February that he’d prefer him over Trump in the White House.

 

 

[edjr 6,578]

Still waiting for my check 

[Hardcore troubadour 14,905]

26 minutes ago, Sean Mooney said:

Exactly. And again- it may just be that they were unwilling pawns in this but it does call into question the content of what they are saying.

Of course- it won't matter to the people here who share their stuff as gospel

Like who? Name names or shut up. 

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

Just now, Hardcore troubadour said:

Like who? Name names or shut up. 

Reality

Raiders

TBay

 

Now you STFU

[jonnyutah 247]

10 million dollars is not a large investment. 

If these people create so many hits and so many views isnt this more just an example of a profitable company funded by foreigners? 

The difference here seems to be the fact that these people are right wing. 

I mean if other companies overpay people for influence, that is all just brushed off.  

This all seems way too convenient. Right on the heels of an actual chinese spy having heavy influence in the democratic party, hey everybody look here, look at russia and MAGA. 

[edjr 6,578]

If it’s on the internet it must be true.

[edjr 6,578]

13 minutes ago, Sean Mooney said:

Reality

Raiders

TBay

 

Now you STFU

@Reality  how much Putin paying you? I want in

[Sean Mooney 1,933]

2 minutes ago, edjr said:

@Reality  how much Putin paying you? I want in

He'll come in and say he never shared videos, or doesn't know who TimPool is or pretend like he never commented in favor of some crap Tim Pool said. 

[Fnord 2,049]

1 hour ago, Dizkneelande said:

Cry harder 

Can you maybe show me how, since I'm not MAGA and you all are the subject matter experts at b!tching, moaning, and crying?

[TheNewGirl 1,339]

Oh noes! Muh RUSSIA! 

[TrailGuy 552]

1 hour ago, 5-Points said:

Putin Endorses Harris

Having previously favored a second term for Joe Biden, Putin said Russia now wants US Vice President Kamala Harris to win in November because she’d been endorsed by the incumbent Democrat.

“Biden was our favorite but he dropped out of the race,” Putin said in response to a question at the Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary session in Russia’s Vladivostok on Thursday. “But he recommended that all of his supporters support Harris, so we will as well.”

 

Putin said Biden was “predictable” when he told state television in February that he’d prefer him over Trump in the White House.

 

 

And you believe him?

Yeah Putin would rather have the president that supports funding Ukraine vs the president that is against funding Ukraine.

[TheNewGirl 1,339]

1 hour ago, 5-Points said:

Putin Endorses Harris

Having previously favored a second term for Joe Biden, Putin said Russia now wants US Vice President Kamala Harris to win in November because she’d been endorsed by the incumbent Democrat.

“Biden was our favorite but he dropped out of the race,” Putin said in response to a question at the Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary session in Russia’s Vladivostok on Thursday. “But he recommended that all of his supporters support Harris, so we will as well.”

 

Putin said Biden was “predictable” when he told state television in February that he’d prefer him over Trump in the White House.

 

 

Predictable in that he'd send money to Ukraine over and over and over is a good thing? IMO, having someone unpredictable would stop Putin, just don't know how that person will react if Russia starts attacking other countries forcing him to hold off. 

Knowing how the US will react isn't really a great thing, IMO especially if you know that President is weak as fock and won't stop you. Putin felt that he could just keep invading....Biden wouldn't do shiite. 

[Hardcore troubadour 14,905]

Putin didn’t invade anywhere while Trump was in office.  

[TrailGuy 552]

8 minutes ago, TheNewGirl said:

Predictable in that he'd send money to Ukraine over and over and over is a good thing? IMO, having someone unpredictable would stop Putin, just don't know how that person will react if Russia starts attacking other countries forcing him to hold off. 

Knowing how the US will react isn't really a great thing, IMO especially if you know that President is weak as fock and won't stop you. Putin felt that he could just keep invading....Biden wouldn't do shiite. 

what?  Biden wouldn't do shiite?  Biden actually did do shiite.  He slapped sanctions on Russia and funded the resistance.  And the Republicans oppose this.  You can't rewrite history.