Russia Secretly Funded Right-Wing Influencers Already Pushing Kremlin Talking Points

By Dustin Rowles | Social Media | September 5, 2024 |

By Dustin Rowles | Social Media | September 5, 2024 |

Yesterday, the US Department of Justice uncovered a Russian propaganda operation targeting American voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The scheme involved nearly $10 million being funneled through a US-based media company to prominent right-wing influencers, including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, once again raising questions about foreign interference in US elections.

Two employees of RT have been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The operation allegedly channeled funds through Tenet Media, which wildly overpaid well-known conservative influencers like Pool, Rubin, and Johnson for videos aligned with Russian interests and reached millions of viewers.

The conservative commentators claim to be unwitting victims, which is, frankly, believable. Their opinions organically aligned with Russian interests, and they accomplished what Russia wanted them to do without being prompted: Sew division and distrust among American voters. It’s the MAGA way. They’re also not very bright. Their obliviousness came from the belief that their content was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (the egos of mediocre white men!). However, having real commentators instead of bots was worth the expense for Russia.

The Biden Administration has since seized Kremlin-run websites and sanctioned RT’s editor-in-chief and nine other network employees. Blaze Media has severed ties with Lauren Chen, who owned Tenet Media with her husband. Former Fox News commentator Glenn Beck owns Blaze TV, and Chen produced videos for Blaze that almost certainly aligned with Russian interests.

Russian money is likely behind several other yet-to-be-discovered right-wing commentators, which would help explain why the GOP has tilted toward Russia in recent years, buoyed by the likes of Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson. The GOP is swimming in the Russian disinformation swamp.

Sources: NPR, Semafor, Guardian