theguardian--2020-09-01--Barr reportedly removes national security official ahead of elections

The US attorney general , William Barr , has reportedly removed the head of a section of the justice department entrusted with ensuring the legality of federal counterterrorism and counterintelligence activities .
The removal of deputy assistant attorney general Brad Wiegmann , first reported by ABC News , has not been explained , but it comes amid rising Democratic concerns that Barr and his justice department will seek to influence the conduct of the November elections in Donald Trump ’ s favour .
It comes less than three days after the director of national intelligence , another Trump loyalist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would no longer provide legislators with verbal briefings on election security , only a written report without the opportunity to follow up with questions .
Wiegmann , 54 , a 23-year public service veteran , ran the office of law and policy in the national security section of the justice department , until he was reassigned two weeks ago .
He is being replaced by a 36-year old cyber-crimes prosecutor , Kellen Dwyer with very little relevant experience , whose name made the news in November 2018 when he accidentally revealed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assange .
The justice department did not immediately return a request for comment .
“ It ’ s a very odd choice and it ’ s odd timing and it ’ s really difficult to explain , ” said Katrina Mulligan , who worked in the law and policy office in the Trump administration and in a number of national security roles in the Obama administration .
“ This office is really charged with a very specific responsibility , which is to represent the department of justice interest in the national security policymaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explanation for the move raised alarm with just over two months to go before the election , amid the accelerating politicisation of national security issues and the threat to the integrity of the election .
The administration has emphasised the role of China , which it says favours a win for Joe Biden .
Democrats , and most election security experts , say the Russians are much more aggressive in their meddling , and favour Trump .
Ratcliffe blamed his decision to end verbal briefings on congressional leaks .
“ We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the intelligence community and I ’ m going to take the measures to make sure that stops , ” he said .
“ John Ratcliffe was installed in the post of DNI not because of his intelligence experience or broader national security expertise ; he had little to speak of .
Instead , he auditioned for the role by fashioning himself as Trump ’ s attack dog and defender , ” said Ned Price , a former CIA official and national security council spokesman .
“ His latest move ensures that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the critical follow-up questions about details and nuance that can be so vital to understanding an intelligence assessment — let alone conducting oversight and legislating .
”

The US attorney general, William Barr, has reportedly removed the head of a section of the justice department entrusted with ensuring the legality of federal counter-terrorism and counterintelligence activities.
The removal of Brad Wiegmann, a deputy assistant attorney general, first reported by ABC News, has not been explained, but it comes amid rising Democratic concerns that Barr and his justice department will seek to influence the conduct of the November elections in Donald Trump’s favour.
It comes less than three days after the director of national intelligence, another Trump loyalist, John Ratcliffe, told Congress his office would no longer provide legislators with verbal briefings on election security, only a written report without the opportunity to follow up with questions.
Wiegmann, 54, a 23-year public service veteran, ran the office of law and policy in the national security section of the justice department, until he was reassigned two weeks ago.
He is being replaced by a 36-year old cyber-crimes prosecutor, Kellen Dwyer, with very little relevant experience, whose name made the news in November 2018 when he accidentally revealed that the US had charged the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange.
The justice department did not immediately return a request for comment.
“It’s a very odd choice and it’s odd timing and it’s really difficult to explain,” said Katrina Mulligan, who worked in the law and policy office in the Trump administration and in a number of national security roles in the Obama administration. “This office is really charged with a very specific responsibility, which is to represent the Department of Justice interest in the national security policymaking process.”
The timing and lack of explanation for the move raised alarm with just over two months to go before the election, amid the accelerating politicisation of national security issues and the threat to the integrity of the election. The administration has emphasised the role of China, which it says favours a win for Joe Biden. Democrats, and most election security experts, say the Russians are much more aggressive in their meddling, and favour Trump.
Ratcliffe blamed his decision to end verbal briefings on congressional leaks.
“We’ve had a pandemic of information being leaked out of the intelligence community and I’m going to take the measures to make sure that stops,” he said.
“John Ratcliffe was installed in the post of DNI not because of his intelligence experience or broader national security expertise; he had little to speak of. Instead, he auditioned for the role by fashioning himself as Trump’s attack dog and defender,” said Ned Price, a former CIA official and national security council spokesman.
“His latest move ensures that lawmakers will not be able to ask the critical follow-up questions about details and nuance that can be so vital to understanding an intelligence assessment – let alone conducting oversight and legislating.”


theguardian--2020-08-31--Trump weakens Obama-era rules on toxic wastewater from coal plants

The Trump administration is loosening rules for toxic water pollution from coal-fired power plants .
Coal plants generate wastewater when they rinse the filters they use to catch pollutants from smokestacks .
That wastewater is discharged into rivers and lakes and often ends up in drinking water .
Obama administration regulations required coal plants to upgrade their wastewater systems to treat arsenic , mercury , and other heavy metals .
Electricity companies will now have more time and flexibility to meet those standards .
Plants shutting down or switching to natural gas by 2028 will be exempt , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including coal plants , are the third biggest source of toxic wastewater in the country , according to the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) .
The pollutants they release into the water – either directly or from leaching from ponds where coal ash water is stored – are linked with cancer , heart disease , diabetes and developmental problems for children .
The EPA argues that even with laxer standards , coal plants will achieve the same pollution reductions .
The Obama administration estimated that its rule would prevent 1.4bn lbs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s EPA says its rule will cut pollution even more , an additional 1m lbs per year .
It says the changes will save companies $ 140m annually .
But Betsy Southerland , an Obama EPA water official , said the agency is counting the pollution reductions from some efforts it has made voluntary .
The EPA assumes that about 30 % of coal plants will use water treatment technologies that are more effective than those the agency has required , she said .
“ It ’ s clear from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology is available – the one that they made voluntary – that would eliminate the toxic contamination of drinking water supplies and is very affordable .
And yet they did not require it , ” Southerland said .
“ People should be very concerned.
” Southerland said the required technology would not treat a bromide compound that causes carcinogens to form in downstream drinking water , and it would allow high selenium discharges that bioaccumulate in fish .
EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said the new rule “ shows President Trump ’ s commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environment ” .
Coal mining companies and coal plant operators have sought and received regulatory relief from the Trump administration as coal power continues to steeply decline in the US , due to competition from gas and renewable power and a shift toward cleaner electricity because of environmental and climate concerns .

The Trump administration is loosening rules for toxic water pollution from coal-fired power plants.
Coal plants generate wastewater when they rinse the filters they use to catch pollutants from smokestacks. That wastewater is discharged into rivers and lakes and often ends up in drinking water.
Obama administration regulations required coal plants to upgrade their wastewater systems to treat arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals. Electricity companies will now have more time and flexibility to meet those standards. Plants shutting down or switching to natural gas by 2028 will be exempt, according to Bloomberg News.
Steam-based power plants, including coal plants, are the third biggest source of toxic wastewater in the country, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The pollutants they release into the water – either directly or from leaching from ponds where coal ash water is stored – are linked with cancer, heart disease, diabetes and developmental problems for children.
The EPA argues that even with laxer standards, coal plants will achieve the same pollution reductions. The Obama administration estimated that its rule would prevent 1.4bn lbs of pollutants from entering US waterways each year. Trump’s EPA says its rule will cut pollution even more, an additional 1m lbs per year. It says the changes will save companies $140m annually.
But Betsy Southerland, an Obama EPA water official, said the agency is counting the pollution reductions from some efforts it has made voluntary.
The EPA assumes that about 30% of coal plants will use water treatment technologies that are more effective than those the agency has required, she said.
“It’s clear from this rule that a relatively inexpensive treatment technology is available – the one that they made voluntary – that would eliminate the toxic contamination of drinking water supplies and is very affordable. And yet they did not require it,” Southerland said. “People should be very concerned.”
Southerland said the required technology would not treat a bromide compound that causes carcinogens to form in downstream drinking water, and it would allow high selenium discharges that bioaccumulate in fish.
EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said the new rule “shows President Trump’s commitment to advancing American energy independence and protecting the environment”.
Coal mining companies and coal plant operators have sought and received regulatory relief from the Trump administration as coal power continues to steeply decline in the US, due to competition from gas and renewable power and a shift toward cleaner electricity because of environmental and climate concerns.


theguardian--2020-08-31--Democrats push to register 1m voters in attempt to rip Texas from Trump

As the United States barrels toward the presidential election in November , could Democrats possibly come out on top simply through a massive effort on voter registration ?
They think they can , and Texas is key .
“ Absolutely , yes , ” said Luke Warford , voter expansion director for the Texas Democratic party .
Although Donald Trump is still favored to win the Lone Star state , a number of recent polls show the Democratic nominee , Joe Biden , not only in the running but pulling ahead , fanning long-held leftist ambitions of turning the famously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not a path to the White House for Donald Trump without winning Texas , ” Warford said .
“ So yes , we think we can register [ enough ] folks and flip the state for Joe Biden , and yes , that would secure a Biden presidency.
” With Texas ’ s 38 electoral college votes seemingly in play , Monday marks the launch of Texas Voter Registration Week for Democrats , an inaugural event pioneered by the state party in collaboration with major political campaigns and other groups that register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contact a million unregistered voters – the most extensive weeklong voter registration push in Texas Democratic party history .
“ We ’ re excited our volunteers are working across Texas to register so many new voters , ” MJ Hegar , the Democratic nominee challenging incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn , said in a statement .
“ By mobilizing millions of Texans this November we will elect servant leaders up and down the ballot who embody Texas values.
” This week , a legion of phone and text “ bank ” operators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to likely Democrats , focusing especially on communities of color and young people .
Unregistered voters in Texas skew disproportionately Democratic , said Warford ; according to the party ’ s internal modeling , there are an estimated 2.6 million to 3.5 million unregistered Democrats statewide .
“ I think the rate that the state of Texas is changing is just , like , really hard for anyone outside of Texas to understand , ” said Warford .
“ If the electorate was reflective of the diversity of the state today , Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since November 2018 , when Beto O ’ Rourke , from El Paso , the border city in the west of the state , lost a US Senate seat by fewer than 215,000 votes , the state ’ s electoral rolls have picked up about 600,000 voters , according to the Houston Chronicle .
Texas Democrats have mounted their largest voter registration program to date , and committees dedicated to electing Democrats are funneling unprecedented investments into the state as it becomes noticeably competitive .
“ We ’ re in the battle basically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Brooklynne Roulette Mosley , a senior Texas operative in the Biden campaign .
“ The election ’ s gon na belong to those who show up.
” Texas has a record of low voter participation ; in 2016 , only 51.4 % of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot , according to the United States Elections Project , one of the most deflated turnouts across the country .
During the 2018 midterms , Texas still ranked among the bottom 10 states in terms of the turnout rate among eligible voters , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier .
Texans also encounter elevated barriers to voting , according to a Guardian analysis .
Before even going to the polls , constituents are supposed to procure an acceptable form of identification and register to vote at least a month in advance .
Voters either have to register in-person or by mail , despite a recent judicial ruling that lack of access to voter registration while renewing a Texas driver ’ s license online violates the National Voter Registration Act .
The state ’ s stringent voting protocols have become even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the efficacy of the US Postal Service .
Despite the public health crisis , attempts by Texas Democrats to expand eligibility for mail-in voting ahead of election day have proved unsuccessful , and meanwhile , critics believe Trump is intentionally handicapping a faltering USPS to sabotage mail-in ballots .
“ I think ‘ early ’ is the theme of the 2020 election , right ?
” Warford said .
“ We ’ re really just encouraging people to try to do everything early , just to make sure there ’ s enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House , the race will be tight in Texas this year , Mosley predicted , and reaching out to eligible voters could help to shore up victories for Democrats .
Texans are eager to get registered , according to Warford , and a lot of people want to register others as well .
“ They ’ re ready to go to the polls , ” he said , “ and try to defeat Donald Trump .
”

As the United States barrels toward the presidential election in November, could Democrats possibly come out on top simply through a massive effort on voter registration? They think they can, and Texas is key.
“Absolutely, yes,” said Luke Warford, voter expansion director for the Texas Democratic party.
Although Donald Trump is still favored to win the Lone Star state, a number of recent polls show the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, not only in the running but pulling ahead, fanning long-held leftist ambitions of turning the famously red stronghold blue.
“There literally is not a path to the White House for Donald Trump without winning Texas,” Warford said. “So yes, we think we can register [enough] folks and flip the state for Joe Biden, and yes, that would secure a Biden presidency.”
With Texas’s 38 electoral college votes seemingly in play, Monday marks the launch of Texas Voter Registration Week for Democrats, an inaugural event pioneered by the state party in collaboration with major political campaigns and other groups that register young people.
Their combined goal is to contact a million unregistered voters – the most extensive weeklong voter registration push in Texas Democratic party history.
“We’re excited our volunteers are working across Texas to register so many new voters,” MJ Hegar, the Democratic nominee challenging incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, said in a statement.
“By mobilizing millions of Texans this November we will elect servant leaders up and down the ballot who embody Texas values.”
This week, a legion of phone and text “bank” operators – telephonic campaigners – are reaching out to likely Democrats, focusing especially on communities of color and young people. Unregistered voters in Texas skew disproportionately Democratic, said Warford; according to the party’s internal modeling, there are an estimated 2.6 million to 3.5 million unregistered Democrats statewide.
“I think the rate that the state of Texas is changing is just, like, really hard for anyone outside of Texas to understand,” said Warford. “If the electorate was reflective of the diversity of the state today, Democrats would be in power in Texas.”
Since November 2018, when Beto O’Rourke, from El Paso, the border city in the west of the state, lost a US Senate seat by fewer than 215,000 votes, the state’s electoral rolls have picked up about 600,000 voters, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Texas Democrats have mounted their largest voter registration program to date, and committees dedicated to electing Democrats are funneling unprecedented investments into the state as it becomes noticeably competitive.
“We’re in the battle basically for the soul of America,” said Brooklynne Roulette Mosley, a senior Texas operative in the Biden campaign. “The election’s gonna belong to those who show up.”
Texas has a record of low voter participation; in 2016, only 51.4% of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot, according to the United States Elections Project, one of the most deflated turnouts across the country.
During the 2018 midterms, Texas still ranked among the bottom 10 states in terms of the turnout rate among eligible voters, despite a double-digit spike compared with four years earlier.
Texans also encounter elevated barriers to voting, according to a Guardian analysis. Before even going to the polls, constituents are supposed to procure an acceptable form of identification and register to vote at least a month in advance. Voters either have to register in-person or by mail, despite a recent judicial ruling that lack of access to voter registration while renewing a Texas driver’s license online violates the National Voter Registration Act.
The state’s stringent voting protocols have become even more germane amid the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about the efficacy of the US Postal Service. Despite the public health crisis, attempts by Texas Democrats to expand eligibility for mail-in voting ahead of election day have proved unsuccessful, and meanwhile, critics believe Trump is intentionally handicapping a faltering USPS to sabotage mail-in ballots.
“I think ‘early’ is the theme of the 2020 election, right?” Warford said. “We’re really just encouraging people to try to do everything early, just to make sure there’s enough time.”
Even with an uphill climb to the White House, the race will be tight in Texas this year, Mosley predicted, and reaching out to eligible voters could help to shore up victories for Democrats. Texans are eager to get registered, according to Warford, and a lot of people want to register others as well.
“They’re ready to go to the polls,” he said, “and try to defeat Donald Trump.”


theguardian--2020-08-31--Voice of America journalists condemn Trump-backed boss over 'spy' remarks

Some of the most prominent journalists at Voice of America have accused its new Trump-appointed chief executive of McCarthyism and putting reporters at risk by purging staff and suggesting that being a journalist is “ a great cover for a spy ” .
Michael Pack , a political ally of the rightwing ideologue Steve Bannon , has been accused by congressional Democrats of seeking to turn VOA and the other international broadcasters under the US Agency for Global Media ( USAGM ) into a propaganda outlet .
On Monday morning , 14 senior VOA journalists delivered a letter of complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions “ endanger the personal security of VOA reporters at home and abroad , as well as threatening to harm US national security objectives ” .
The letter – signed by VOA ’ s White House bureau chief , its national security and national affairs correspondents , alongside 11 others – said the continuing purge of journalists in the name of national security was reminiscent of Senator Joe McCarthy ’ s “ red scare ” purge of the 1950s .
One of the immediate triggers for the journalists ’ letter of complaint was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a podcast run by a fiercely partisan pro-Trump website , the Federalist , in which he approved of Donald Trump ’ s description of VOA as “ disgusting ” , awash with political bias and suggested that USAGM broadcasters could be heavily infiltrated by foreign spies .
“ The fact is that foreign intelligence agencies from the beginning … have been interested in penetrating them , ” Pack said .
“ To be a journalist is a great cover for a spy … and from the beginning , from the cold war and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penetrated .
It ’ s a great place to put a foreign spy.
” In their letter , the journalists pointed out “ there has not been a single demonstrable case of any individual working for VOA ” , and Pack admitted in his interview that there was no evidence that any current USAGM employee was a foreign spy .
The journalists also complained that in the Federalist interview , Pack had joined in on a joke about potentially exposing his staff to the Covid virus , as a way of getting rid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
The interviewer , Christopher Bedford , author of an admiring book about Trump called The Art of the Donald , asked Pack : “ Have you considered banning masks and turning off the air conditioning ?
That ’ s my prescription for federal agencies.
” Pack laughed and replied , jokily : “ Yes .
We ’ ll have to look into that one.
” Pack insisted he was trying to restore impartiality to an institution that was riddled with partisan bias and corruption .
He gave no evidence of corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pack pointed to the recent broadcast by the VOA Urdu service of material produced by the Democratic campaign of Joe Biden .
The contractors and editors involved have been sacked .
Pack insisted : “ I would never tell a journalist how to cover a story or what to say.
” But added he would “ make sure that the procedures and practices that ensure the highest journalistic standards ” .
A VOA Spanish language service interview with a White House official was censored over the weekend .
In the interview , journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration hawk on Cuba and Venezuela , whether the White House was aware that Pack was blocking the visa extensions of VOA foreign journalists covering the region .
Claver-Carone suggested the visa issue was somehow linked to the pandemic .
After initially being put on air on Friday morning , the section addressing the visa issues was cut out in the afternoon .
“ When VOA News management emailed all the organizations ordering to unpublish/not publish my interview , I responded asking for the reason , ” Segovia said on Twitter .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deactivation of my corporate username that gave me access to my email , communication and publishing platforms.
” Pack has said he would not renew any journalist visas while a security review is under way , but his critics allege he is using security as a pretext to gut the VOA as a genuine news organisation .
To justify his actions , Pack has pointed to a long-running dispute between USAGM and the Office of Personnel Management over the responsibility for vetting journalists before hire .
However , vetting responsibility was handed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Security Agency in February 2019 , and former officials say that VOA journalists do not have any privileged access to classified information .
As their visas have approached expiration , VOA ’ s foreign journalist employees have been forced to make preparations for leaving the US , some after many years of residence .
Two Indonesian journalists flew out last week .
“ Being thrown out of a country in the middle of a pandemic feels very cruel .
Very cruel , ” one of the journalists , Valdya Baraputri , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international journalists with no good reason in a country that upholds press freedom and democracy .
It feels terribly , terribly ironic .
”

Some of the most prominent journalists at Voice of America have accused its new Trump-appointed chief executive of McCarthyism and putting reporters at risk by purging staff and suggesting that being a journalist is “a great cover for a spy”.
Michael Pack, a political ally of the rightwing ideologue Steve Bannon, has been accused by congressional Democrats of seeking to turn VOA and the other international broadcasters under the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) into a propaganda outlet.
On Monday morning, 14 senior VOA journalists delivered a letter of complaint about Pack, saying his words and actions “endanger the personal security of VOA reporters at home and abroad, as well as threatening to harm US national security objectives”.
The letter – signed by VOA’s White House bureau chief, its national security and national affairs correspondents, alongside 11 others – said the continuing purge of journalists in the name of national security was reminiscent of Senator Joe McCarthy’s “red scare” purge of the 1950s.
One of the immediate triggers for the journalists’ letter of complaint was an interview Pack gave last week to a podcast run by a fiercely partisan pro-Trump website, the Federalist, in which he approved of Donald Trump’s description of VOA as “disgusting”, awash with political bias and suggested that USAGM broadcasters could be heavily infiltrated by foreign spies.
“The fact is that foreign intelligence agencies from the beginning … have been interested in penetrating them,” Pack said. “To be a journalist is a great cover for a spy … and from the beginning, from the cold war and even earlier, they’ve been penetrated. It’s a great place to put a foreign spy.”
In their letter, the journalists pointed out “there has not been a single demonstrable case of any individual working for VOA”, and Pack admitted in his interview that there was no evidence that any current USAGM employee was a foreign spy.
The journalists also complained that in the Federalist interview, Pack had joined in on a joke about potentially exposing his staff to the Covid virus, as a way of getting rid of them and “draining the swamp”.
The interviewer, Christopher Bedford, author of an admiring book about Trump called The Art of the Donald, asked Pack: “Have you considered banning masks and turning off the air conditioning? That’s my prescription for federal agencies.”
Pack laughed and replied, jokily: “Yes. We’ll have to look into that one.”
Pack insisted he was trying to restore impartiality to an institution that was riddled with partisan bias and corruption. He gave no evidence of corruption, but as an instance of bias Pack pointed to the recent broadcast by the VOA Urdu service of material produced by the Democratic campaign of Joe Biden. The contractors and editors involved have been sacked.
Pack insisted: “I would never tell a journalist how to cover a story or what to say.” But added he would “make sure that the procedures and practices that ensure the highest journalistic standards”.
A VOA Spanish language service interview with a White House official was censored over the weekend. In the interview, journalist Bricio Segovia asked Mauricio Claver-Carone, an administration hawk on Cuba and Venezuela, whether the White House was aware that Pack was blocking the visa extensions of VOA foreign journalists covering the region. Claver-Carone suggested the visa issue was somehow linked to the pandemic.
After initially being put on air on Friday morning, the section addressing the visa issues was cut out in the afternoon.
“When VOA News management emailed all the organizations ordering to unpublish/not publish my interview, I responded asking for the reason,” Segovia said on Twitter. “The only answer I got was the deactivation of my corporate username that gave me access to my email, communication and publishing platforms.”
Pack has said he would not renew any journalist visas while a security review is under way, but his critics allege he is using security as a pretext to gut the VOA as a genuine news organisation.
To justify his actions, Pack has pointed to a long-running dispute between USAGM and the Office of Personnel Management over the responsibility for vetting journalists before hire. However, vetting responsibility was handed over to the Pentagon’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency in February 2019, and former officials say that VOA journalists do not have any privileged access to classified information.
As their visas have approached expiration, VOA’s foreign journalist employees have been forced to make preparations for leaving the US, some after many years of residence. Two Indonesian journalists flew out last week.
“Being thrown out of a country in the middle of a pandemic feels very cruel. Very cruel,” one of the journalists, Valdya Baraputri, said. “Especially as this happened to international journalists with no good reason in a country that upholds press freedom and democracy. It feels terribly, terribly ironic.”


theguardian--2020-09-01--Trump fails to denounce an accused killer – which comes as little surprise

Donald Trump has the blind devotion of a rabid sports fan .
His team can do no wrong .
The opposition are liars and cheats .
So maybe no one was surprised on Monday when he appeared to defend an accused murderer .
At the White House press briefing , Trump was asked about Kyle Rittenhouse , a white 17-year-old charged with killing two people and injuring another with an AR-15-style rifle during protests against the police shooting of an African American man in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Rittenhouse sat in the front row of a Trump rally this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media .
Jesse Kelly , a radio host , reportedly said that “ with a couple pelts on the wall ” Rittenhouse “ is gon na have to fight off hot conservative chicks with a bat ” , while the columnist Ann Coulter said she wanted him “ as my president ” .
Such signals from the base ensure that Trump ’ s loyalty is guaranteed .
Asked if he will condemn the actions of vigilantes like Rittenhouse , the president demurred : “ We ’ re looking at all of it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ You saw the same tape as I saw .
And he was trying to get away from them , I guess ; it looks like .
And he fell , and then they very violently attacked him .
And it was something that we ’ re looking at right now and it ’ s under investigation.
” And in another startling remark , Trump could not bring himself to say political violence is wrong .
“ I guess he was in very big trouble , ” he said .
“ He probably would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under investigation.
” It was a moment that evoked memories of Charlottesville in 2017 , when Trump drew moral equivalence between white nationalists and civil rights protesters .
It will probably cause less of a stir , given the numbing effect of the past four years ; recently Trump declined to condemn the QAnon conspiracy theory because its followers are on his side .
Eric Swalwell , a Democratic congressman , observed on Twitter : “ Mass shooters finally have a president who speaks for them.
” “ Law and order ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s perceived foes , not his supporters nor the half dozen aides to his 2016 campaign who now have criminal convictions .
The president , due to visit Kenosha on Tuesday , is yet to speak to the family of Jacob Blake , who was shot and paralysed from the waist down .
Moments earlier at Monday ’ s briefing , Trump was also asked about his own supporters riding pickup trucks into downtown Portland , Oregon , on Saturday and firing paintball guns and pepper spray .
He said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not bullets.
” A member of a far-right group was killed in the Portland clashes , prompting Trump to tweet a message of condolence : “ Rest in peace Jay.
” CNN ’ s Kaitlan Collins , often a thorn in Trump ’ s side , tried several times to follow up but he refused to answer and moved to the next question .
Monday ’ s briefing also featured a long diatribe against “ leftwing rioters ” and “ antifa ” who share “ the same agenda ” as Democratic nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on law enforcement ” and threatening to “ destroy our suburbs ” .
In what may have been classic projection , Trump said : “ When you surrender to the mob , you don ’ t get freedom ; you get fascism .
That ’ s what happens in all cases .
You take a look at Venezuela .
Look what ’ s going on there and other places .
“ Biden is using mafia talking points : the mob will leave you alone if you give them what you want … In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule because if the mob rules , America is dead.
” He lambasted Democratic governors and mayors for unrest happening on his own watch .
The divide-and-rule appeal to tribalism is naked and obvious but that doesn ’ t mean it won ’ t work .
Just as in 2016 , when Hillary Clinton was constantly asked to respond to Trump ’ s latest outrage rather than setting out her own agenda , Biden earlier on Monday was forced to issue a rebuttal to the president ’ s Nixonian law-and-order hammer .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic – burning cars and mayhem in streets attract TV cameras more readily than an invisible microbe that has been around for months – and from his attempts to sabotage the postal service and election .
Like a rabid sports fan , Trump is much more comfortable on home turf .

Donald Trump has the blind devotion of a rabid sports fan. His team can do no wrong. The opposition are liars and cheats.
So maybe no one was surprised on Monday when he appeared to defend an accused murderer.
At the White House press briefing, Trump was asked about Kyle Rittenhouse, a white 17-year-old charged with killing two people and injuring another with an AR-15-style rifle during protests against the police shooting of an African American man in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse sat in the front row of a Trump rally this year and has become a darling of conservative media. Jesse Kelly, a radio host, reportedly said that “with a couple pelts on the wall” Rittenhouse “is gonna have to fight off hot conservative chicks with a bat”, while the columnist Ann Coulter said she wanted him “as my president”.
Such signals from the base ensure that Trump’s loyalty is guaranteed. Asked if he will condemn the actions of vigilantes like Rittenhouse, the president demurred: “We’re looking at all of it. And that was an interesting situation. You saw the same tape as I saw. And he was trying to get away from them, I guess; it looks like. And he fell, and then they very violently attacked him. And it was something that we’re looking at right now and it’s under investigation.”
And in another startling remark, Trump could not bring himself to say political violence is wrong. “I guess he was in very big trouble,” he said. “He probably would have been killed but it’s under investigation.”
It was a moment that evoked memories of Charlottesville in 2017, when Trump drew moral equivalence between white nationalists and civil rights protesters. It will probably cause less of a stir, given the numbing effect of the past four years; recently Trump declined to condemn the QAnon conspiracy theory because its followers are on his side.
Eric Swalwell, a Democratic congressman, observed on Twitter: “Mass shooters finally have a president who speaks for them.”
“Law and order”, it seems, only applies to Trump’s perceived foes, not his supporters nor the half dozen aides to his 2016 campaign who now have criminal convictions. The president, due to visit Kenosha on Tuesday, is yet to speak to the family of Jacob Blake, who was shot and paralysed from the waist down.
Moments earlier at Monday’s briefing, Trump was also asked about his own supporters riding pickup trucks into downtown Portland, Oregon, on Saturday and firing paintball guns and pepper spray. He said: “Paint is a defensive mechanism. Paint is not bullets.”
A member of a far-right group was killed in the Portland clashes, prompting Trump to tweet a message of condolence: “Rest in peace Jay.” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, often a thorn in Trump’s side, tried several times to follow up but he refused to answer and moved to the next question.
Monday’s briefing also featured a long diatribe against “leftwing rioters” and “antifa” who share “the same agenda” as Democratic nominee Joe Biden, waging a “war on law enforcement” and threatening to “destroy our suburbs”.
In what may have been classic projection, Trump said: “When you surrender to the mob, you don’t get freedom; you get fascism. That’s what happens in all cases. You take a look at Venezuela. Look what’s going on there and other places.
“Biden is using mafia talking points: the mob will leave you alone if you give them what you want … In America we will never surrender to mob rule because if the mob rules, America is dead.”
He lambasted Democratic governors and mayors for unrest happening on his own watch. The divide-and-rule appeal to tribalism is naked and obvious but that doesn’t mean it won’t work. Just as in 2016, when Hillary Clinton was constantly asked to respond to Trump’s latest outrage rather than setting out her own agenda, Biden earlier on Monday was forced to issue a rebuttal to the president’s Nixonian law-and-order hammer.
That meant another day distracting from the coronavirus pandemic – burning cars and mayhem in streets attract TV cameras more readily than an invisible microbe that has been around for months – and from his attempts to sabotage the postal service and election. Like a rabid sports fan, Trump is much more comfortable on home turf.


theguardian--2020-09-01--How did the US's mainstream right end up openly supporting vigilante terror? | Richard Seymour

Kyle Rittenhouse , a “ Blue Lives Matter ” fanatic , Donald Trump supporter and militia member , has been charged with murder .
It is alleged that having travelled from Illinois to Wisconsin to point his assault rifle at unarmed protesters , he shot two people dead .
He was later heard claiming : “ I just killed somebody.
” While the Trump campaign quietly disavowed this enthusiastic supporter , insisting he had “ nothing to do with our campaign ” ( as though anyone had suggested otherwise ) , the president himself defended Rittenhouse , saying he appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Message boards such as Reddit and 4chan are humming with commentary supporting Rittenhouse .
Predictably , every accused lone-wolf murderer generates an online fan club .
Likewise , the Christian right has already raised $ 250,000 for Rittenhouse ’ s defence .
However , the decision of rightwing celebrity journalists to gleefully defend Rittenhouse crosses a new threshold .
Ann Coulter , the infantile shock-jock of American reaction , said of Rittenhouse : “ I want him as my president.
” While Coulter is a media opportunist mining for controversy , Tucker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctrinaire far-rightist , offered an emotional defence .
“ How shocked are we , ” Carlson said , “ that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would ?
” This , from a talking head who has spent the Trump years mainstreaming various white nationalists , inciting racism and portraying the apocalyptic meltdown of the US caused by immigrants and liberal elites , betrays a conception of order identical to that of Rittenhouse and other white vigilantes who have pointed their guns at Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and militiamen who have paraded the streets of Philadelphia , Ohio , Chicago and Albuquerque .
For the ideologues , law and order in Kenosha is social obedience on the part of those targeted for police violence , and it would be legitimately upheld by a white paramilitary who guns people down in cold blood for opposing the racist murder of black people .
This is an ideology of law and order that could come from the antebellum South , or the frontier west .
Just as disturbing , for those likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence , has been the convergence of police and paramilitaries .
It is not just that militiamen are hardline supporters of the police who see themselves as augmenting state repression .
Police themselves have repeatedly condoned and indulged the vigilantes , who have been permitted to roam around with guns out , attacking Black Lives Matter crowds unimpeded by authorities .
In Kenosha , police were recorded handing out water to a crowd of white militiamen , telling them : “ We appreciate you being here.
” The chief of Kenosha police has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests .
Police allegedly declined to arrest Rittenhouse after he ’ d just shot two people , was pointed out as the shooter by several witnesses , and was walking towards a police vehicle with his hands up .
The brazen overtness of the right ’ s dalliance with vigilante terror in answer to Black Lives Matter has been some time in the making .
Trump has done as much as he can to mainstream the violent far right in the same way that he has normalised conspiracist paranoia with his birtherism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ deep state ” .
From his declaration that armed Charlottesville protesters were “ very fine people ” to his defence of armed protesters in Michigan , and his exhortations to rightwing paramilitaries to “ LIBERATE MINNESOTA ” , “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN ” and then “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA ” from Covid-19 lockdown , Trump lets the purveyors of armed fury know just whose side he ’ s on .
He has also conspicuously refused to disavow the QAnon conspiracy theory .
According to this , he is saving the world from a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Satan-worshipping paedophiles , and hastening the “ storm ” – a day of violent reckoning .
Its supporters are deemed a domestic terror threat .
The American far right thrives on the prospect of annihilation , and the “ end of days ” mood licenses its paranoid violence .
There is a broader context for America ’ s turn toward what writer Huw Lemmey accurately characterises as a sub-Verhoeven dystopia .
Rapture-seeking movements such as QAnon , or those prepping for the “ boogaloo ” , are working the margins of a culturally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always been immersed in the fantasy of “ regeneration through violence ” , rarely has so much of the country been so thoroughly in the grip of adrenaline-pumping , apocalyptic excitement and conspiracist paranoia .
In both conspiracy theories and apocalyptic fantasies , life is reduced to a cosmic showdown between good and evil .
The traumas and disappointments of life are folded into a millenarian revenge fantasy-cum-death wish , as in the enormously popular series of Left Behind novels about rapture and the struggle with the papal antichrist .
Such apocalyptic thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including white evangelical churches , Fox News and the Republican party itself .
Trump ’ s rhetoric has always invoked gruesome apocalyptic scenarios if his opponents win .
This year ’ s Republican convention is fully channelling this mania , with speakers shouting about liberals who want to “ enslave ” Americans , steal their freedom and turn the US “ into a socialist utopia ” , or comparing the Democrats to “ communist China ” .
Notably , the convention paraded a white couple arrested and charged for waving guns at Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats would abolish the suburbs and let the criminals move in next door .
Truly , the end times .
The specific American form of apocalyptic thinking is not just Christian but , historically , anti-communist .
In an era of anti-communism without communism , Trump charges that Black Lives Matter protests are led by Marxists , “ leftwing extremists ” and others out to destroy “ the United States system of government ” .
Thus , the crises that afflict the US are figured as a diabolical plot , much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and civil rights struggles on what John Rankin of the House un-American activities committee called “ this great octopus , communism , which is out to destroy everything ” .
Today ’ s conspiracist bricolage thrives on the collapse of consensus reality , and on the disintegrating authority of older gatekeepers of truth .
More importantly , it milks a fascination with the destruction of one ’ s enemies and , tacitly , oneself .
In the past , apocalyptic fantasy has been seen as a paranoid reaction to economic deprivation and political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movements such as the Lazzarettists , who launched a violent revolt against the government and the ruling class in 19th-century Italy , but it hardly explains the disproportionately affluent Trump base , and it doesn ’ t explain rich Washington journalists such as Tucker Carlson rationalising murder in cold blood .
Apocalyptic conspiracy thinking is , above all , a theodicy : it explains evil , and says what will be done about evil .
The end times thinking that is sweeping the US , and justifying every new outrage , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power and arming themselves to defend it .
• Richard Seymour is a political activist and author ; his latest book is The Twittering Machine

Kyle Rittenhouse, a “Blue Lives Matter” fanatic, Donald Trump supporter and militia member, has been charged with murder. It is alleged that having travelled from Illinois to Wisconsin to point his assault rifle at unarmed protesters, he shot two people dead. He was later heard claiming: “I just killed somebody.”
While the Trump campaign quietly disavowed this enthusiastic supporter, insisting he had “nothing to do with our campaign” (as though anyone had suggested otherwise), the president himself defended Rittenhouse, saying he appeared to have been acting in self defence. Message boards such as Reddit and 4chan are humming with commentary supporting Rittenhouse. Predictably, every accused lone-wolf murderer generates an online fan club. Likewise, the Christian right has already raised $250,000 for Rittenhouse’s defence.
However, the decision of rightwing celebrity journalists to gleefully defend Rittenhouse crosses a new threshold. Ann Coulter, the infantile shock-jock of American reaction, said of Rittenhouse: “I want him as my president.” While Coulter is a media opportunist mining for controversy, Tucker Carlson of Fox News, a more doctrinaire far-rightist, offered an emotional defence. “How shocked are we,” Carlson said, “that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would?”
This, from a talking head who has spent the Trump years mainstreaming various white nationalists, inciting racism and portraying the apocalyptic meltdown of the US caused by immigrants and liberal elites, betrays a conception of order identical to that of Rittenhouse and other white vigilantes who have pointed their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, such as the Three Percenters and militiamen who have paraded the streets of Philadelphia, Ohio, Chicago and Albuquerque.
For the ideologues, law and order in Kenosha is social obedience on the part of those targeted for police violence, and it would be legitimately upheld by a white paramilitary who guns people down in cold blood for opposing the racist murder of black people. This is an ideology of law and order that could come from the antebellum South, or the frontier west.
Just as disturbing, for those likely to be on the receiving end of police violence, has been the convergence of police and paramilitaries. It is not just that militiamen are hardline supporters of the police who see themselves as augmenting state repression. Police themselves have repeatedly condoned and indulged the vigilantes, who have been permitted to roam around with guns out, attacking Black Lives Matter crowds unimpeded by authorities.
In Kenosha, police were recorded handing out water to a crowd of white militiamen, telling them: “We appreciate you being here.” The chief of Kenosha police has defended the role of white vigilantes in the protests. Police allegedly declined to arrest Rittenhouse after he’d just shot two people, was pointed out as the shooter by several witnesses, and was walking towards a police vehicle with his hands up.
01:53 'I don't want pity, I want change': Jacob Blake's sister gives powerful testimony – video
The brazen overtness of the right’s dalliance with vigilante terror in answer to Black Lives Matter has been some time in the making. Trump has done as much as he can to mainstream the violent far right in the same way that he has normalised conspiracist paranoia with his birtherism, climate denialism and references to the “deep state”. From his declaration that armed Charlottesville protesters were “very fine people” to his defence of armed protesters in Michigan, and his exhortations to rightwing paramilitaries to “LIBERATE MINNESOTA”, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” and then “LIBERATE VIRGINIA” from Covid-19 lockdown, Trump lets the purveyors of armed fury know just whose side he’s on.
He has also conspicuously refused to disavow the QAnon conspiracy theory. According to this, he is saving the world from a “deep state” conspiracy of liberal, Satan-worshipping paedophiles, and hastening the “storm” – a day of violent reckoning. Its supporters are deemed a domestic terror threat. The American far right thrives on the prospect of annihilation, and the “end of days” mood licenses its paranoid violence.
There is a broader context for America’s turn toward what writer Huw Lemmey accurately characterises as a sub-Verhoeven dystopia. Rapture-seeking movements such as QAnon, or those prepping for the “boogaloo”, are working the margins of a culturally mainstream phenomenon. Although the US has always been immersed in the fantasy of “regeneration through violence”, rarely has so much of the country been so thoroughly in the grip of adrenaline-pumping, apocalyptic excitement and conspiracist paranoia.
In both conspiracy theories and apocalyptic fantasies, life is reduced to a cosmic showdown between good and evil. The traumas and disappointments of life are folded into a millenarian revenge fantasy-cum-death wish, as in the enormously popular series of Left Behind novels about rapture and the struggle with the papal antichrist. Such apocalyptic thinking reverberates through a network of institutions, including white evangelical churches, Fox News and the Republican party itself.
01:45 Chaotic scenes as gunfire rings out during unrest after Jacob Blake shooting – video
Trump’s rhetoric has always invoked gruesome apocalyptic scenarios if his opponents win. This year’s Republican convention is fully channelling this mania, with speakers shouting about liberals who want to “enslave” Americans, steal their freedom and turn the US “into a socialist utopia”, or comparing the Democrats to “communist China”. Notably, the convention paraded a white couple arrested and charged for waving guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, who claimed that the Democrats would abolish the suburbs and let the criminals move in next door. Truly, the end times.
The specific American form of apocalyptic thinking is not just Christian but, historically, anti-communist. In an era of anti-communism without communism, Trump charges that Black Lives Matter protests are led by Marxists, “leftwing extremists” and others out to destroy “the United States system of government”. Thus, the crises that afflict the US are figured as a diabolical plot, much as past generations of anti-communist blamed worker strikes and civil rights struggles on what John Rankin of the House un-American activities committee called “this great octopus, communism, which is out to destroy everything”.
Today’s conspiracist bricolage thrives on the collapse of consensus reality, and on the disintegrating authority of older gatekeepers of truth. More importantly, it milks a fascination with the destruction of one’s enemies and, tacitly, oneself. In the past, apocalyptic fantasy has been seen as a paranoid reaction to economic deprivation and political persecution. That was true of peasant movements such as the Lazzarettists, who launched a violent revolt against the government and the ruling class in 19th-century Italy, but it hardly explains the disproportionately affluent Trump base, and it doesn’t explain rich Washington journalists such as Tucker Carlson rationalising murder in cold blood.
Apocalyptic conspiracy thinking is, above all, a theodicy: it explains evil, and says what will be done about evil. The end times thinking that is sweeping the US, and justifying every new outrage, is the theodicy of groups frightened of losing their power and arming themselves to defend it.
Richard Seymour is a political activist and author; his latest book is The Twittering Machine


theguardian--2020-09-02--Russian agency created fake leftwing news outlet with fictional editors, Facebook says

The Russian agency that interfered in the 2016 US election created a fake leftwing news publication , staffed it with fake editors with AI-generated photos and hired real freelance reporters as part of a fresh influence operation detected and removed by Facebook , the company said on Tuesday .
The latest operation by the Internet Research Agency ( IRA ) was still in its early stages when it was detected thanks to a tip from the FBI , according to Facebook ’ s head of security policy , Nathaniel Gleicher .
The network had 13 accounts and two pages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook accounts and pages were designed to bolster PeaceData.net , an English- and Arabic-language website that claims to be a “ global news organization ” , but whose editorial staff are fictitious .
Headshots of PeaceData ’ s “ staff ” were created using Generative Adversarial Networks , a type of AI that can produce lifelike images of faces , according to Graphika , a social media analysis firm that produced a report on the IRA operation .
“ They put substantial effort into creating elaborate fictitious personas , trying to make fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gleicher said .
Many of the characters had profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn .
Twitter said on Tuesday that it had suspended five accounts associated with PeaceData for “ platform manipulation that we can reliably attribute to Russian state actors ” .
The company said tweets from the accounts were “ low quality ” and “ spammy ” , and that it would block links to content from PeaceData .
LinkedIn did not immediately respond to a query .
Much of PeaceData ’ s content was copied from other websites , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Advertisements on Upwork and Guru.com offered a flat rate of $ 75 to entry-level writers .
Major topics for the site included armed conflict , human rights abuses ( especially by the US and UK ) , corruption , and the environment , as well as WikiLeaks , the coronavirus pandemic and the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory .
Four freelance journalists who wrote for PeaceData told the Guardian that they had been approached by one of PeaceData ’ s “ editors ” on Twitter , LinkedIn or by email with an offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were early-career writers who had recently been laid off and were eager to establish themselves ; two were more experienced writers .
The Guardian agreed to let them speak anonymously because they were concerned for their careers .
The writers only learned of the deception from news reports or reporters ’ inquiries .
One of the experienced journalists said that PeaceData had paid $ 250 up front , which was unusual , then “ ghosted ” her after publishing one piece .
“ I didn ’ t imagine a scam would have paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Another writer said he was approached via direct message on Twitter and offered $ 200- $ 250 a piece , more than he was usually paid for writing .
“ I was just trying to get more bylines and get paid to do what I want to do , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve interacted with editors who do far less than what they were doing , and they paid faster than some publications ...
I ’ m a freelance writer – I ’ m used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s coverage of the US portrayed the country as “ war-mongering and law-breaking abroad while being racked by racism , Covid-19 , and cutthroat capitalism at home ” , according to the report .
The outlet was negative toward Donald Trump , but Graphika found that its treatment of his Democratic rival Joe Biden and vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris was “ noteworthy for its hostile tone ” .
The US-focused content of PeaceData appeared designed to “ build a leftwing audience and steer it away from Biden ’ s campaign ” , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similarly appeared to appeal to leftwing audiences with attacks on the Labour party leader , Keir Starmer , for being too centrist .
The operation targeted supporters of Bernie Sanders and democratic socialists in the US and supporters of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK by having one of the fake accounts , the fictitious “ Alex Lacusta ” , post links to PeaceData articles in affiliated Facebook groups .
The IRA also used “ unwitting users ” to attempt to obtain authorization from Facebook to run political ads in the US , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process for political advertisers after the 2016 election , when the IRA was able to spend about $ 100,000 – some of it in rubles – on ads that targeted US voters with divisive messaging .
An unsigned statement posted on PeaceData ’ s website said allegations the site was “ a Russian propaganda tool ” were “ an ugly lie ” .
Both Facebook and Graphika concluded that the operation had been detected and taken down before causing significant damage .
“ It follows a steady pattern where particularly Russian actors have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but their impact is smaller and smaller and they are getting caught earlier , ” Gleicher said .
“ These actors are caught between a rock and hard place : run a large network that gets caught quickly or run a small network that has limited reach.
” “ The operation ’ s greatest success – to the extent that it had any – lay in its ability to co-opt unwitting authors to write its content , ” the Graphika analysis concludes .
“ The IRA ’ s 13 accounts managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appear to have reached a substantially larger one.
” Twitter appealed to “ governments around the world ” to stop attempting to deceive users through similar operations .
“ Regardless of the low-level impact in this case , governments around the world must stop these practices , ” the company said in a tweeted statement .
“ They ’ re antidemocratic .
Attempts to manipulate our service to undermine democracy – by both foreign and domestic actors – will be met with strict enforcement of our policies .
”

The Russian agency that interfered in the 2016 US election created a fake leftwing news publication, staffed it with fake editors with AI-generated photos and hired real freelance reporters as part of a fresh influence operation detected and removed by Facebook, the company said on Tuesday.
The latest operation by the Internet Research Agency (IRA) was still in its early stages when it was detected thanks to a tip from the FBI, according to Facebook’s head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher. The network had 13 accounts and two pages, with about 14,000 total followers.
The Facebook accounts and pages were designed to bolster PeaceData.net, an English- and Arabic-language website that claims to be a “global news organization”, but whose editorial staff are fictitious. Headshots of PeaceData’s “staff” were created using Generative Adversarial Networks, a type of AI that can produce lifelike images of faces, according to Graphika, a social media analysis firm that produced a report on the IRA operation.
“They put substantial effort into creating elaborate fictitious personas, trying to make fake accounts look as real as possible,” Gleicher said.
Many of the characters had profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn. Twitter said on Tuesday that it had suspended five accounts associated with PeaceData for “platform manipulation that we can reliably attribute to Russian state actors”. The company said tweets from the accounts were “low quality” and “spammy”, and that it would block links to content from PeaceData. LinkedIn did not immediately respond to a query.
Much of PeaceData’s content was copied from other websites, though some was produced by unwitting freelance reporters. Advertisements on Upwork and Guru.com offered a flat rate of $75 to entry-level writers. Major topics for the site included armed conflict, human rights abuses (especially by the US and UK), corruption, and the environment, as well as WikiLeaks, the coronavirus pandemic and the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.
Four freelance journalists who wrote for PeaceData told the Guardian that they had been approached by one of PeaceData’s “editors” on Twitter, LinkedIn or by email with an offer to write for the site. Two were early-career writers who had recently been laid off and were eager to establish themselves; two were more experienced writers. The Guardian agreed to let them speak anonymously because they were concerned for their careers.
The writers only learned of the deception from news reports or reporters’ inquiries. One of the experienced journalists said that PeaceData had paid $250 up front, which was unusual, then “ghosted” her after publishing one piece. “I didn’t imagine a scam would have paid me up front like that,” she said.
Another writer said he was approached via direct message on Twitter and offered $200-$250 a piece, more than he was usually paid for writing.
“I was just trying to get more bylines and get paid to do what I want to do,” he said. “I’ve interacted with editors who do far less than what they were doing, and they paid faster than some publications ... I’m a freelance writer – I’m used to being taken advantage of.”
PeaceData’s coverage of the US portrayed the country as “war-mongering and law-breaking abroad while being racked by racism, Covid-19, and cutthroat capitalism at home”, according to the report. The outlet was negative toward Donald Trump, but Graphika found that its treatment of his Democratic rival Joe Biden and vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris was “noteworthy for its hostile tone”.
The US-focused content of PeaceData appeared designed to “build a leftwing audience and steer it away from Biden’s campaign”, according to the Graphika analysis. UK-focused content similarly appeared to appeal to leftwing audiences with attacks on the Labour party leader, Keir Starmer, for being too centrist.
The operation targeted supporters of Bernie Sanders and democratic socialists in the US and supporters of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK by having one of the fake accounts, the fictitious “Alex Lacusta”, post links to PeaceData articles in affiliated Facebook groups.
The IRA also used “unwitting users” to attempt to obtain authorization from Facebook to run political ads in the US, the company said. Facebook implemented the authorization process for political advertisers after the 2016 election, when the IRA was able to spend about $100,000 – some of it in rubles – on ads that targeted US voters with divisive messaging.
An unsigned statement posted on PeaceData’s website said allegations the site was “a Russian propaganda tool” were “an ugly lie”.
Both Facebook and Graphika concluded that the operation had been detected and taken down before causing significant damage.
“It follows a steady pattern where particularly Russian actors have gotten better at hiding who they are, but their impact is smaller and smaller and they are getting caught earlier,” Gleicher said. “These actors are caught between a rock and hard place: run a large network that gets caught quickly or run a small network that has limited reach.”
“The operation’s greatest success – to the extent that it had any – lay in its ability to co-opt unwitting authors to write its content,” the Graphika analysis concludes. “The IRA’s 13 accounts managed to deceive that pinpoint audience; they do not appear to have reached a substantially larger one.”
Twitter appealed to “governments around the world” to stop attempting to deceive users through similar operations.
“Regardless of the low-level impact in this case, governments around the world must stop these practices,” the company said in a tweeted statement. “They’re antidemocratic. Attempts to manipulate our service to undermine democracy – by both foreign and domestic actors – will be met with strict enforcement of our policies.”
Agencies contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-09-02--Trump and Barr in Kenosha as protests continue over police shooting of Jacob Blake – as it happened

The Russian agency that interfered in the 2016 US election created a fake leftwing news publication , staffed it with fake editors with AI-generated photos and hired real freelance reporters as part of a fresh influence operation detected and removed by Facebook , the company said on Tuesday .
The latest operation by the Internet Research Agency ( IRA ) was still in its early stages when it was detected thanks to a tip from the FBI , according to Facebook ’ s head of security policy , Nathaniel Gleicher .
The network had 13 accounts and two pages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook accounts and pages were designed to bolster PeaceData.net , an English- and Arabic-language website that claims to be a “ global news organization ” , but whose editorial staff are fictitious .
Headshots of PeaceData ’ s “ staff ” were created using Generative Adversarial Networks , a type of AI that can produce lifelike images of faces , according to Graphika , a social media analysis firm that produced a report on the IRA operation .
“ They put substantial effort into creating elaborate fictitious personas , trying to make fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gleicher said .
Many of the characters had profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn .
Twitter said on Tuesday that it had suspended five accounts associated with PeaceData for “ platform manipulation that we can reliably attribute to Russian state actors ” .
The company said tweets from the accounts were “ low quality ” and “ spammy ” , and that it would block links to content from PeaceData .
LinkedIn did not immediately respond to a query .

Maanvi Singh, and Joan E Greve in Washington

2 Sept 2020 01.00 BST Summary From me and Joan E Greve: The Trump administration has refused to join an international effort to develop and distribute a coronavirus vaccine. The US has chosen to go it alone, making deals directly with vaccine manufacturers. The World Health Organization, which helped coordinate the alliance among more than 170 countries says the US would be free to pursue bilateral agreements with drug companies alongside involvement in the international group, which could provide Americans with backup options should any of its vaccine efforts fail.
The US has chosen to go it alone, making deals directly with vaccine manufacturers. The World Health Organization, which helped coordinate the alliance among more than 170 countries says the US would be free to pursue bilateral agreements with drug companies alongside involvement in the international group, which could provide Americans with backup options should any of its vaccine efforts fail. Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin, as protests continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The president toured damaged property with several senior administration officials, including attorney general William Barr, but Trump did not meet with the family of Blake, who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police. Asked during a roundtable whether he considers violence against people of color to be a systemic problem for police departments, Trump said no.
The president toured damaged property with several senior administration officials, including attorney general but Trump did not meet with the family of Blake, who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police. Asked during a roundtable whether he considers violence against people of color to be a systemic problem for police departments, Trump said no. Democrats have hit back at Trump and his supporters’ claims that a Biden presidency would bring more unrest. In a new campaign ad portraying right-wing violence and threats alongside police brutality against protestors, the Democrats presented a bleak depiction of “Trump’s America”.
In a new campaign ad portraying right-wing violence and threats alongside police brutality against protestors, the Democrats presented a bleak depiction of “Trump’s America”. A federal appeals court temporarily blocked the Manhattan district attorney from obtaining Trump’s tax returns. The three-judge panel granted a temporary stay until the president’s appeal in the case plays out in court. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 25 September.
The three-judge panel granted a temporary stay until the president’s appeal in the case plays out in court. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 25 September. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin testified before the House subcommittee reviewing the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mnuchin indicated he still supports the passage of another coronavirus relief bill, but negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled over the topline cost of the package.
Mnuchin indicated he still supports the passage of another coronavirus relief bill, but negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled over the topline cost of the package. New York City delayed resuming in-person classes. The city planned to resume classes next week with a combination of virtual and in-person instruction, but the start date has been pushed back to 21 September, after teachers threatened to strike over the plan.
The city planned to resume classes next week with a combination of virtual and in-person instruction, but the start date has been pushed back to 21 September, after teachers threatened to strike over the plan. The White House physician said Trump had never experienced a stroke. In a tweet this morning, the president denied having “suffered a series of mini-strokes”, in response to allegations from some of his Twitter critics. A new book reports that, during Trump’s unexpected visit to Walter Reed Medical Center last year, Vice President Mike Pence was “on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized”.But the book’s author said he did not report the cause of Trump’s visit.
1 Sept 2020 00.51 BST Julia Carrie Wong The Russian agency that interfered in the 2016 US election created a fake leftwing news publication, staffed it with fake editors with AI-generated photos and hired real freelance reporters as part of a fresh influence operation detected and removed by Facebook, the company said on Tuesday. The latest operation by the Internet Research Agency (IRA) was still in its early stages when it was detected thanks to a tip from the FBI, according to Facebook’s head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher. The network had 13 accounts and two pages, with about 14,000 total followers. The Facebook accounts and pages were designed to bolster PeaceData.net, an English- and Arabic-language website that claims to be a “global news organization”, but whose editorial staff are fictitious. Headshots of PeaceData’s “staff” were created using Generative Adversarial Networks, a type of AI that can produce lifelike images of faces, according to Graphika, a social media analysis firm that produced a report on the IRA operation. “They put substantial effort into creating elaborate fictitious personas, trying to make fake accounts look as real as possible,” Gleicher said. Many of the characters had profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn. Twitter said on Tuesday that it had suspended five accounts associated with PeaceData for “platform manipulation that we can reliably attribute to Russian state actors”. The company said tweets from the accounts were “low quality” and “spammy”, and that it would block links to content from PeaceData. LinkedIn did not immediately respond to a query. Russian agency created fake leftwing news outlet with fictional editors, Facebook says Read more
1 Sept 2020 00.25 BST In a new ad, the Democrats have hit back at Republican claims that a Joe Biden presidency would bring about lawlessness, collating video of police brutality and rightwing, white supremacist violence and threats under the banner “This is Trump’s America”. The ad features video of the deadly Charlottesville Unite the Right rally, and of Kyle Rittenhouse, the Trump supporter who has been charged with killing two people in Kenosha. The Democrats’ video counters ongoing messages from the Trump campaign and Republicans depicting scenes of destruction as part of “Biden’s America”.
Updated at 00.49 BST
1 Sept 2020 23.46 BST From Adam Mahoney in Kenosha, Wisconsin: As Donald Trump toured parts of the Wisconsin city of Kenosha on Tuesday – against the wishes of local government officials – the family of Jacob Blake, the young Black father now paralyzed after being shot by city police, had a message for the visiting US president. Justin Blake, Jacob’s uncle, kicked off a community party on the same Kenosha block where his nephew was shot multiple times in the back by a police officer. The shooting triggered yet another harsh examination of US police practices and led to the gun deaths of two protesters, killed by a white militia supporter last week. “We’re not going to let anyone smudge my nephew’s name,” said Justin Blake, as Trump held court elsewhere with local law enforcement and criticized the protesters who had taken to streets after the shooting. “We don’t have any words for the orange man in the White House,” Blake added. Trump’s visit came to a town at the center of US politics following Blake’s shooting, the nights of protest and vandalism that it triggered, and finally the deaths of two protesters allegedly at the hands of Kyle Rittenhouse, who now stands charged with murder. Trump had billed his trip to Kenosha as a unifying move, but Blake’s family declined to meet with him and his schedule was dominated by meetings with local police officials and business leaders. He toured damaged property and paid far more attention to the destruction than to the police shooting that preceded it.
To many residents, especially Black citizens, Trump’s visit was roundly unwelcome, echoing the local mayor, John Antaramian, and Wisconsin governor, Tony Evers, who had asked the president not to come. At the local courthouse, about 100 Trump supporters and a similar number of Black Lives Matter supporters traded chants back and forth. About 50 yards away, members of the national guard sat laughing and joking behind the courthouse wall. Jacob Ansari, a 42-year-old IT security adviser, wore a shirt depicting the Republican party being thrown into the trash. He said: “The president has no business being here and inflaming tension. He’s riling up his supporters and bringing in all these people who aren’t wearing masks and who have the potential to incite more violence.” Jacob Blake family reject 'orange man in the White House' as Trump tours nearby Read more
1 Sept 2020 23.44 BST Speaking with Fox News, Mike Pence responded to a report in a new book that during an unexpected visit to Walter Reed medical center by Donald Trump last year, Pence was “on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized”. The vice-president told the host Brett Baier: “I don’t recall being told to be on ‘standby’... but the American people can be confident that this president is in remarkable health.” In a tweet this morning, Trump denied having “suffered a series of mini-strokes”, responding to allegations from critics on social media. The White House physician also issued a statement never experienced a stroke. Both were apparently responding to Twitter critics, as no reputable news organization has alleged that the president suffered a stroke. Joe Lockhart, and political analyst who contributes to CNN asked whether that might have in a tweet – prompting the Trump campaign to issue a an attack on his record as a political consultant.
Updated at 00.52 BST
1 Sept 2020 23.18 BST Critics have asked MSNBC host Joy Reid to apologize after she compared how the media talks about “the way Muslims act” to the discourse around Donald Trump’s radicalized supporters. “When leaders – let’s say – in the Muslim world talk a lot of violent talk and encourage their supporters to be willing to commit violence,” Reid said, “We in the US media describe that as they are radicalizing those people – particularly they are radicalizing young people. That’s how we talk about the way Muslims act.” “When you see what Donald Trump is doing, is that any different from what we describe as radicalizing people?” she continued. Honestly, this kinda of casual Islamophobia is hurtful and dangerous.
We deserve better and an apology for the painful moment for so many Muslims around our country should be forthcoming. https://t.co/megnZyL9dd — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) September 1, 2020 Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar said, “Honestly, this kinda (sic) of casual Islamophobia is hurtful and dangerous” and called on Reid to deliver “an apology for the painful moment for so many Muslims”. The civil rights group Muslim Advocates said Reid’s “comments are the latest in a longstanding pattern. Muslim Advocates has previously raised concerns about posts on Reid’s old blog that shared similar, anti-Muslim sentiments.” Madihha Ahussain, Muslim Advocates’s special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry, said, “an unfortunate reality for American Muslims today is that anti-Muslim comments like this are routinely made by people who are ostensibly sympathetic to us. But that should not give them a pass to promote hate.”
Updated at 23.30 BST
1 Sept 2020 22.50 BST US won't join international group to find coronavirus vaccine The Trump administration said it won’t join an international group to develop and distribute a Covid-19 vaccine because of the coalition’s association with the World Health Organization. The decision not to join more than 170 countries in the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, or Covax, first reported by the Washington Post, follows the administration’s decision this summer to pull out of the WHO. Donald Trump has often scapegoated the WHO for the severity of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, accusing the international health agency, without evidence, of withholding information. The WHO says that even countries like the US – which is working directly with drug manufactures to secure a vaccine – would benefit from participating in the international alliance, as Covax would provide backup options incase the ones the US is pursuing aren’t successful.
Updated at 00.32 BST
1 Sept 2020 22.05 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin, as protests continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The president toured damaged property with several senior administration officials, including attorney general William Barr, but Trump did not meet with the family of Blake, who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police. Asked during a roundtable whether he considers violence against people of color to be a systemic problem for police departments, Trump said no.
The president toured damaged property with several senior administration officials, including attorney general but Trump did not meet with the family of Blake, who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police. Asked during a roundtable whether he considers violence against people of color to be a systemic problem for police departments, Trump said no. A federal appeals court temporarily blocked the Manhattan district attorney from obtaining Trump’s tax returns. The three-judge panel granted a temporary stay until the president’s appeal in the case plays out in court. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 25 September.
The three-judge panel granted a temporary stay until the president’s appeal in the case plays out in court. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 25 September. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin testified before the House subcommittee reviewing the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mnuchin indicated he still supports the passage of another coronavirus relief bill, but negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled over the topline cost of the package.
Mnuchin indicated he still supports the passage of another coronavirus relief bill, but negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled over the topline cost of the package. New York City delayed resuming in-person classes. The city planned to resume classes next week with a combination of virtual and in-person instruction, but the start date has been pushed back to 21 September, after teachers threatened to strike over the plan.
The city planned to resume classes next week with a combination of virtual and in-person instruction, but the start date has been pushed back to 21 September, after teachers threatened to strike over the plan. The White House physician said Trump had never experienced a stroke. In a tweet this morning, the president denied having “suffered a series of mini-strokes”, in response to allegations from some of his Twitter critics. A new book reports that, during Trump’s unexpected visit to Walter Reed Medical Center last year, Vice President Mike Pence was “on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized”. But the book’s author said he did not report the cause of Trump’s visit. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.16 BST
1 Sept 2020 21.55 BST Trump to use CDC to block evictions - report Trump is reportedly expected to use his executive authority to block evictions, as negotiations over the next coronavirus relief package remain stalled. Bloomberg News reports: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to temporarily halt evictions of consumers earning no more than $99,000 a year to prevent the virus from spreading, a senior administration official said Tuesday. The policy will take effect immediately.
The administration is acting unilaterally after failing to reach a deal with lawmakers over another round of stimulus relief funding, aimed in part at keeping renters in their homes. To obtain the relief, renters must assert they are incapable of paying their rent or are likely to become homeless if kicked out of their property, the administration official said. Individuals who received a coronavirus stimulus check earlier this year also qualify for the protection, as do couples who jointly file their taxes and expect to earn less than $198,000. The move is an unprecedented use of executive authority, and may face legal challenges from landlords who have seen rental income evaporate during the crisis. But administration officials believe they have the ability under a federal law that allows the CDC to order emergency measures when it determines that state and local governments haven’t taken sufficient steps to prevent the spread of a communicable disease. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin testified today before the House subcommittee reviewing the federal response to the pandemic, and he signaled he still supported passing another relief bill, but the White House and congressional Democrats have been unable to agree on a topline cost for the package.
1 Sept 2020 21.37 BST Democratic nominee Joe Biden raised at least $350m in August, according to Bloomberg News. NEWS: The Biden campaign and DNC will report raising more than $350 million in August. Final number is still being calculated and could be higher. https://t.co/gj24VleGcO — Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) September 1, 2020 The New York Times reported earlier today that Biden’s August fundraising total was at least $300m, representing a record-breaking sum. But Biden’s team is still totaling the money that was raised, and it now appears the final figure will be closer to $400m. In comparison, Hillary Clinton raised $143m in August 2016. The current single-month fundraising record is believed to be held by Barack Obama, who raised $193m in September 2008.
Updated at 21.53 BST
1 Sept 2020 21.18 BST During his roundtable in Kenosha, Trump briefly acknowledged the widespread protests against racism and police brutality, but he quickly pivoted to his calls for “law and order”. "They want law and order ... where they aren't raped and murdered" -- Trump simply refuses to acknowledge that Black Lives Matter protesters have any valid claims whatsoever pic.twitter.com/qBzcPbvId6 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 1, 2020 “I think people are calling for structural change, and then you could take the people of Kenosha … that you won’t see and that aren’t protesting, but they want change also. They want to see law and order. That’s the change they want,” Trump told reporters, as they pressed the president for his thoughts on the protests, which have been mostly peaceful. “They want people that are going to keep them safe, where their houses aren’t being broken, where they’re not raped and murdered. That’s what they want. And they’re protesters, too, but they don’t walk down the street, up and down the street.”
Updated at 21.34 BST
1 Sept 2020 20.54 BST Trump dodges questions about mostly peaceful protests Trump said he does not consider violence toward Americans of color to be a systemic issue for police departments. Taking questions after his roundtable on community safety in Kenosha, Trump said, “I think the police do an incredible job, and I think you do have some bad apples.” Q: Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in this country?
TRUMP: "We should talk about the kind of violence we've seen in Portland and here and other places... you have anarchists, and you have the looters, and you have the rioters... that's what you should be focused on." pic.twitter.com/vZEaXflAub — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 1, 2020 The president argued some of the recent police violence stems from officers being “under this tremendous pressure” and not handling those situations well.
“They call it choking, and it happens,” Trump said. The president repeatedly dodged questions about the recent protests against racism and policing, which have been mostly peaceful. When reporters pressed Trump for his thoughts on the protests, he kept trying to redirect the conversation. “Well, you know, you just keep getting back to the opposite subject,” Trump told one reporter who asked about the protests. “We should talk about the kind of violence that we’ve seen in Portland and here and other places.”
1 Sept 2020 20.36 BST Trump has repeatedly indicated that the situation in Kenosha, Wisconsin, improved after the state’s Democratic governor called in the National Guard. Officials in Wisconsin continue to stress that Pres Trump is not telling the truth when he says law enforcement in Kenosha has been federalized. Gov Evers deployed Wisconsin National Guard troops & got National Guard troops from other states.
FBI & US Marshals are also helping. — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 1, 2020 But it’s worth noting that Governor Tony Evers deployed Wisconsin National Guard troops and used some National Guard members from other states, but none of those troops have been federalized. It was not Trump who called in the National Guard. Some federal agents from the FBI and the US Marshals Service are also helping in Kenosha.
1 Sept 2020 20.15 BST Days after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Trump praised the “great people” who serve as law enforcement officers. “We’re all safe, and we’re safe because of law enforcement,” Trump said during his roundtable on community safety in Kenosha. “And we honor you.” The president then called on Americans to “condemn the dangerous, anti-police rhetoric” whenever it arises. It’s worth noting that Trump received criticism yesterday, when he refused to condemn the alleged actions of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who has been charged with murdering two protesters in Kenosha.
1 Sept 2020 20.00 BST Trump is now holding a roundtable on “Wisconsin community safety” in Kenosha, amid ongoing protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The president opened the roundtable by asking, “Where is my Reince?” That was a reference to Trump’s first White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, who is from Wisconsin. Trump said his visit today was meant to show support for the people of Kenosha and the people of Wisconsin. “The state of Wisconsin has been very good to me,” Trump said. The president carried Wisconsin by less than 1 point in 2016, and Trump’s team views the state as crucial for his reelection effort.


theguardian--2020-09-01--Animal Crossing: Biden campaign offers virtual yard signs in Nintendo game

Lorilei Storm , an American who has lived in Ireland for the last decade , has signs supporting Joe Biden all over her front yard – not in front of her Dublin flat , however , but the one surrounding her home in the wildly popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing .
“ Campaign signs aren ’ t as much of a thing in the UK , so I was really excited to find them in the game – I put up as many as I could , ” Storm said .
Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign has introduced four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of which users can download by scanning QR codes through the Nintendo Switch online app .
Animal Crossing has been used for everything from weddings to talk shows and virtual dates as it gained popularity amid global lockdowns due to Covid-19 .
The addition of campaign material marks a new frontier for the game , and for America ’ s presidential race .
The banners are the latest attempt by the Biden campaign to make virtual inroads with voters at a time when many traditional campaign events are considered unsafe due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavily on digital outreach this year , Donald Trump continues to hold in-person rallies , insisting doing so is “ very safe ” and mocking his opponents for “ hiding indoors ” .
For that same reason , Trump will not be using Animal Crossing to get out the vote , said Samantha Zager , a spokeswoman for his campaign .
“ This explains everything : Joe Biden thinks he ’ s campaigning for president of Animal Crossing from his basement , ” she said .
“ The Trump campaign will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world with real Americans.
” Animal Crossing does not currently feature any Trump-approved signs , but users can theoretically make their own using customization tools in the app .
Nintendo did not respond to request for comment .
Though many players were thrilled to deck out their lawns in Biden signs , others were upset at Nintendo for allowing politics to enter the escapist bubble that is Animal Crossing , Storm said .
“ I can totally see where people are coming from and I don ’ t want to take away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some people say these issues are so important they need to cross over to the digital realm , ” Storm said .
For others , even Biden supporters , the move felt inauthentic .
Eran del Castillo , a 25-year-old Animal Crossing player who has spent more than 350 hours on the game , likened the choice to Hillary Clinton ’ s infamous line in 2016 encouraging people to “ Pokemon-Go-to the polls ” , which was mocked as an example of the candidate awkwardly attempting to pander to younger voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of young people who play Animal Crossing have a perception of Biden and Harris as candidates that don ’ t address a lot of platforms young people care about , like student debt or the federal minimum wage , ” del Castillo said .
“ So it felt like , ‘ Hey we aren ’ t going to address these concerns but here is a code to use in Animal Crossing .
’ ”

Lorilei Storm, an American who has lived in Ireland for the last decade, has signs supporting Joe Biden all over her front yard – not in front of her Dublin flat, however, but the one surrounding her home in the wildly popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing.
“Campaign signs aren’t as much of a thing here, so I was really excited to find them in the game – I put up as many as I could,” Storm said.
Joe Biden’s presidential campaign has introduced four different official yard signs in Animal Crossing, all of which users can download by scanning QR codes through the Nintendo Switch online app.
Animal Crossing has been used for everything from weddings to talk shows and virtual dates as it gained popularity amid global lockdowns due to Covid-19. The addition of campaign material marks a new frontier for the game, and for America’s presidential race.
The banners are the latest attempt by the Biden campaign to make virtual inroads with voters at a time when many traditional campaign events are considered unsafe due to Covid-19.
While Biden has relied heavily on digital outreach this year, Donald Trump continues to hold in-person rallies, insisting doing so is “very safe” and mocking his opponents for “hiding indoors”. For that same reason, Trump will not be using Animal Crossing to get out the vote, said Samantha Zager, a spokeswoman for his campaign.
Animal Crossing has been used for everything from weddings to virtual dates as it gained popularity amid Covid-19 lockdowns. Photograph: Nintendo
“This explains everything: Joe Biden thinks he’s campaigning for president of Animal Crossing from his basement,” she said. “The Trump campaign will continue to spend its resources campaigning in the real world with real Americans.”
Animal Crossing does not currently feature any Trump-approved signs, but users can theoretically make their own using customization tools in the app. Nintendo did not respond to request for comment.
Though many players were thrilled to deck out their lawns in Biden signs, others were upset at Nintendo for allowing politics to enter the escapist bubble that is Animal Crossing, Storm said.
“I can totally see where people are coming from and I don’t want to take away from the escapism, but I also respect that some people say these issues are so important they need to cross over to the digital realm,” Storm said.
For others, even Biden supporters, the move felt inauthentic. Eran del Castillo, a 25-year-old Animal Crossing player who has spent more than 350 hours on the game, likened the choice to Hillary Clinton’s infamous line in 2016 encouraging people to “Pokemon-Go-to the polls”, which was mocked as an example of the candidate awkwardly attempting to pander to younger voters.
“I think right now, a lot of young people who play Animal Crossing have a perception of Biden and Harris as candidates that don’t address a lot of platforms young people care about, like student debt or the federal minimum wage,” del Castillo said. “So it felt like, ‘Hey we aren’t going to address these concerns but here is a code to use in Animal Crossing.’”