Russia

Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller Indicts Russians for Interfering in the 2016 Election

Written by SK Ashby

At least 13 Russian nationals and 3 Russian entities have been indicted by the Department of Justice and Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller for interfering in the 2016 election.

You can read the full 37-page indictment from the Justice Department for yourself right here, but I'll do my best to summarize it.

The indictment alleges that hundreds of Russians working for the so-called Internet Research Agency (Putin's troll farm) under the direction of the men targeted by the indictment conspired to interfere in the electon. The indictment also alleges the operation was funded by another Russian man through several corporate entities.

Their interference in the 2016 election allegedly began all the way back in 2014 and, when both political parties were close to selecting their candidates, the Russians focused their attention on their closest competitors. More specifically, the indictment states that the Russians launched attacks on the campaigns of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio while supporting the campaign of Bernie Sanders.

Emphasis mine:

By 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators used their fictitious online personas to interfere the 2016 U.S. presidential election. They engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump.

On our about February 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators internally circulated an outline of themes for future content to be posted to ORGANIZATION-controlled social media accounts. Specialists were instructed to post content that focused on "politics in the USA" and to "use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump -- we support them)."

The indictment includes numerous references to Americans whose identities have been withheld, including unnamed associates of the Trump campaign, that cooperated with the Russians in some capacity whether wittingly or unwittingly.

The Russians organized and even financed rallies and events while posing as American activists in emails and on social media. The Russians also financed anti-Hillary merchandise and props including a costume depicting Hillary Clinton in a prison uniform.

For example, Defendants and their co-conspirators asked one U.S. person to build a cage on a flatbed truck and another U.S. person to wear a costume portraying Clinton in a prison uniform. Defendants and their co-conspirators paid these individuals to complete these requests.

The indictment includes numerous other examples that I recommend reading for yourself. If you were paying close attention during the election, you may even remember some of the events that we now know were literally organized and financed by Russians.

The indictment also includes a short list of political advertisements purchased by the Russians that you could hardly forget such as one one that accused Hillary Clinton of committing voter fraud during the Democratic primary.

This indictment confirms a lot of what we already knew, but it also expands our understanding of the Russian operation and the extent of their involvement.

Mueller's investigation is still ongoing according Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein.