The White House accuses Putin of using Russian state media to influence November’s election

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a swingeing plan to try to limit Russian manipulation of the 2024 election, imposing sanctions, seizing internet domains used to spread disinformation, and unveiling criminal charges.

It aims to prevent the Kremlin’s using of state-run media and fake news sites to influence American voters.

White House spokesman John Kirby said the conspiracy went all the way to President Vladimir Putin. 

‘We believe Mr. Putin is witting in these actions,’ he told reporters at the White House.

Other departments took action at the same time. 

The Justice Department filed money-laundering charges against two employees of Russian state media channel RT.

It said they used companies and fake personas to pay $10 million to a corporation in Tennessee to produce videos designed to stoke political divisions.

The FBI seized 32 internet domains it said were being used in an influence effort. 

And the U.S. Treasury and State departments slapped sanctions on RT, including the network’s top editor, Margarita Simonovna Simonyan.

‘RT is no longer just a propaganda arm of the Kremlin,’ Kirby. ‘It is being used to advance covert Russian influence actions. 

‘Additionally, the Russian government is laundering influence and Information operations through Kremlin-controlled commercial firms such as the social design agency that work extensively at the direction and control of the Russian Federation, 

‘All of this activity was designed to funnel disinformation through outlets and social media influencers that a certain number of Americans find credible.’

The U.S. company allegedly involved in the scheme is said to be Tennessee-based Tenet Media, which contracted with a number of influential pundits.

Benny Johnson, a conservative commentator who runs Benny Media LLC, confirmed that he contracted with the company, but said that he is a ‘victim’ in the alleged scheme.

‘A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated,’ he wrote on X.

‘We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.’

Others reported to also have been involved with Tenet Media include Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Lauren Southern. 

‘We believe Mr. Putin is witting in these actions,’ said White House spokesman John Kirby

Kirby urged Americans to be careful about where they got their news, as governments across the globe come to terms with the power of online communications coupled with A.I.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe Putin tried to put his finger on the scales for Donald Trump in 2016, with Russian-backed leaks of emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and again in 2020.

Russia’s state-controlled Russia Today (RT) television broadcast vans are seen parked in front of St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin next to Red Square in Moscow

Employees of RT work in its international studio on December 6, 2019 in Moscow, Russia

This time around, Iran is thought to have been behind a recent hack of the Trump campaign.

Justice Department officials say Putin and his proxies are now targeting specific groups of voters in battleground states, and using bots and A.I. to stoke division. 

‘Today’s announcement highlights the lengths some foreign governments go to undermine American democratic institutions,’ the State Department said. 

‘But these foreign governments should also know that we will not tolerate foreign malign actors intentionally interfering and undermining free and fair elections.’