Posted on 09/05/2024 10:23:41 AM PDT by thegagline
A “secret” Russian influence campaign allegedly paid $10 million to prop up a media company hosting what it saw as like-minded, right-wing commentators in the US — including popular pundits like Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin and Tim Pool.
The Justice Department indicted two employees of the Russian state-controlled media outlet RT on Wednesday for acting as unregistered foreign agents and laundering $9.7 million in payments to a Tennessee media company to allegedly promote pro-Kremlin propaganda.
The employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, are at large, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, after floating for almost a year the media entity that “posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.
The description of the company in the indictment matches Tenet’s own description on its website as “a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.”
Other business records and identifying characteristics in the unsealed indictment point to Lauren Chen — a former RT commentator who now works as a host for BlazeTV and as a contributor to the conservative Turning Point USA — as the primary founder of Tenet, along with her husband, Liam Donovan.
YouTube subscriber counts for two unnamed commentators in the filing further correspond with those of either Johnson (2.4 million) or Rubin (2.4 million) and Pool (1.3 million).
Either Johnson or Rubin received a $100,000 signing bonus and netted $400,000 per month, while Pool received $100,000 per video.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Here is the salient aspects of what the foreign agents registration act. As you read it, think of the Bidens (China, Ukraine etc) Eric Swalwell (China), and AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) which is one of the most influential and monied lobbying organizations and somehow has avoided having to register as a foreign agent under FARA:
The Foreign Agents Registration Act ("FARA"), 22 U.S.C. § 611 et seq., is a registration and disclosure statute that requires any person acting or agreeing to act in the United States as "an agent of a foreign principal" to register with the Attorney General if he or she is engaging or agreeing to engage, directly or through another person, in certain types of conduct for or in the interest of the foreign principal. Conduct requiring registration under FARA includes, as is relevant here, political activities, acting as a publicity agent or information-service employee,and disbursing money for or in the interests of the foreign principal. FARA registrations are made to the Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit ("FARA Unit") of the Department of Justice's National Security Division. It is a crime to willfully fail to register when required under FARA.
The purpose of FARA is to prevent covert influence by foreign principals, which include foreign governments, companies, and persons located outside the United States. Proper registration under FARA allows the U.S. Government and public and private audiences to evaluate the statements and activities of individuals who are serving as agents of foreign principals in light of their status as foreign agents. Among other things, FARA registration reveals the identity of the foreign principal on whose behalf the registrant performs services, the type of services the registrant provides the foreign principal, and the source and amount of compensation the registrant receives from the foreign principal. FARA registration statements are publicly accessible on the website of the FARA Unit. In addition, FARA registrants are required to label informational materials transmitted within the United States with a conspicuous statement disclosing that the materials are distributed by the agent on behalf of the foreign principal.
Wow so people who disagree with the government are actually Russian agents !
Hell... Soros paid that much to get a serial spouse abuser elected Attorney General here in MN...
Very believable, because....
Putin is very interested in having Russia’s biggest enemy by the name of Trump back in the white house. Putin wants more of the same sanctions levied against it, and more U.S. oil produced to kill Russia’s oil sales.
Yep! Very believable.
Likely it’s just to deflect from the massive number of assists from Russia to the Harris campaign, which would be a lot more friendly to Russians, who are enjoying success in Ukraine because of the very weak Biden administration. Trump would end all of Russia’s recent successes. So yeah, the DOJ is lying and deflecting from what’s really happening.
The friggin’ dumbass far left have decided to bring the doofus Russkis back into this election like they did the last time. I mean the bumbling Pooty dummies? They can’t even beat a stand up comedian in the Ukraine and they’re going to control a US election? I DON’T THINK SO. Only the far-left turd rollers can do that.
The media company, alleged to be Tenet Media, is anti-Trump.
Or maybe this is the beginning of the work to make putin’s endorsement of harris a good thing.
Russians are fantastic!
Most scammers try to steal money from their victims
But the Russians try to scam you - to GIVE you money! $10 million worth!
They are better than Santa Clause, who just gives you socks or cheap toys.
Interesting. I wonder why Tenet Media features Dave Rubin and Tim Pool who are steadfastly pro-Trump.
This is to bury the story yesterday that Iran is meddling in our election to get Kamala Harris elected.
That's less than a typical single music video.
The TENET YouTube channel is still up if you want to see what all the crocodile tears are about.
Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin and Tim Pool
—
Who?
So if this is illegal what about the New York Times which is controlled by Carlos Slim of Mexico. Most of our media is partially funded by foreigners.
These people are not Trump people. Most of these people were pro-DeSantis. I am assuming the DOJ wants to silence this group. ANd they are now admitting that the DOJ were spying on Tim Pool and Dave Rubin. These people did nothing wrong. In fact the CIA had to produce a fake person to be the go between. Only the CIA can pull that off. I think the big fish here is Rubin who is the majority owner of Locals. And the part owner of Rumble. He is the guy they want to control.
I guess this is like the old meme "Don't Steal. The government doesn't like competition."
Don't express your opinion. The government doesn't approve of your messages.
Now do China!
Giving money to Matt only leads to conservatives voting third party or not voting at all.
Rubin’s youtube channel gets on average 1,800,000 daily views.
Oh, and TPool discussed this this morning. He liscensed a video to Tenet — like he always does to anyone wanting to put out his content. He received nothing from the RT company, never heard of them.
Prepare for packaged lies like this until Kamala is installed into the WHouse like BeijingBiden was. And, it is a lie. Any bunch of individuals can give money to any outlet to help get out info that plays in their favor. Saying that Russians were involved is typical commie trash crappola. So bloody wut? You think/claim that all the money given to TimmehWalz by the CCP did not have an intent?
Bongino is right on this one being a resurrected Russian Collusion 4.0 for post-election damage control.
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