US accuses Russia of using state media to spread disinformation before the election

Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray accused Russia Wednesday of engaging in “covert” disinformation campaigns to unlawfully interfere in the 2024 election, echoing concerns over similar efforts that reached a fever pitch during the 2016 presidential contest.

In a news conference, Garland described the two influence campaigns, which resulted in an indictment and the seizure of 32 internet domains, as part of an “empire of covert projects designed to shape public opinion in Western audiences.”

The indictment alleged that two employees of Russian state-controlled outlet RT presided over a $10 million scheme to peddle Kremlin propaganda on social media to American audiences.

The content was intended “to sow discord and chaos” and included “commentary on events and issues in the US, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy,” per the DOJ.

The other scheme involved dozens of internet domains that “spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests, and influencing voters in US and foreign elections, including the US 2024 Presidential Election.”

“We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government,” Garland said. “We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia and Iran, as well as China or any other foreign malign actor to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy.”

Asked what his message was to the nations engaging in the interference attempts, Wray responded bluntly: “Knock it off.”

“As long as adversaries keep trying to influence and interfere in our society and our democratic processes, they’re going to keep running into the FBI,” he said.

The FBI director added that RT has for years been a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, but since last year had been more successful in engaging American influencers to spread its message under the guise of being “independent news.”

The Russian outlet said in a statement read out loud by one reporter in the briefing: “2016 wants its cliches back.”

Allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin in the lead-up to the 2016 election resulted in two special counsel investigations, neither of which substantiated the allegation of a successful influence campaign.

Both Garland and Wray sit on the DOJ Election Threats Task Force, which has briefed the US public about various interference efforts before the election in November.

Garland’s announcement was followed by Treasury Department sanctions against the leaders of RT. The outlet’s two employees were indicted on charges of money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent.

The US intelligence community had previously warned that Iranian influence efforts were aimed at keeping former President Donald Trump from returning to the White House, but Garland stressed Tehran was trying to meddle in the presidential campaigns of both parties.

In a speech last month, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco had said Russia was the primary threat to the election, citing the “targeting” of “swing-state voters.”

Wednesday’s press conference also covered various “domestic threats” to elections — including attempted shootings, bomb threats and death messages being sent to poll workers and election officials in states like New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.

Each of the cases Garland cited has resulted in a federal prosecution.

“These cases are a warning: If you threaten to harm or kill an election worker or official or volunteer, the Justice Department will find you. And we will hold you accountable,” he said.

“Threats to election workers constitute threats to democracy itself.”