The Associated Press has an important story out today about a right- wing (ok, fascist) influencer named Ben Swann, who's been busy peddling Russian propaganda for years -- and getting paid handsomely for it. Here's part of their report:
The Kremlin could not have asked for better publicity at a better time when Ben Swann, a self-described independent journalist who promotes conspiracy theories, released a 12-part video series he promised would reveal dark truths about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Swann’s flashy documentary-style videos were filled with innuendo, attacks on Zelenskyy’s character and commentary from guests sympathetic to Russia in its two-year war with Ukraine.
The series, titled “Zelenskyy Unmasked,” launched in April as Congress was debating increasing military assistance to Ukraine, and it quickly caught the attention of conservative social media influencers who hyped the project to their millions of followers.
Among those who promoted the series was Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son.
“Curious about the billions of dollars and weapons Congress sent Ukraine?” Trump Jr. posted on X, Truth Social and Threads. “You need to watch the first episode of the explosive 12-part series.”
What a shock that one of the Malignant Loser's failsons is promoting recycled Kremlin garbage! Like Malignant Loser, like son.
Unlike other conservative media personalities who last month expressed shock upon learning they may have been secretly financed by the Kremlin, Swann has no such qualms. He’s worked for Russia’s state-owned media empire for years, with one of his companies earning millions of dollars for producing Kremlin-friendly shows. [snip]
The revelations about Swann’s work for Russia come as U.S. authorities have issued increasingly dire warnings about the threat posed by Russian disinformation campaigns. In addition to undermining Ukraine, the Kremlin is seeking to disrupt the presidential election and sow discord in the U.S. and elsewhere in the West, those officials have said.
U.S. officials are particularly concerned about Russia’s covert efforts to take advantage of unwitting Americans to spread Moscow’s message and use artificial intelligence to quickly tailor false content.
Russia’s influence operation also appears aimed at boosting support for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has criticized Ukraine and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, the officials said.
Trump has dismissed evidence of Russian influence operations, and he and many of his supporters have mocked the broader U.S. government’s effort to highlight Kremlin propaganda efforts...
Note to anyone who has slept through the past 20 years: the Malignant Loser is a Russian asset and a danger to our national security. This pawn Swann also has a long history of right-wing fascist conspiracy mongering and associating with sick chuds:
Swann, 46, was a longtime TV journalist before he was fired from an Atlanta station in 2018 after promoting the debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy that alleged Democrats were abducting children to serve as sex slaves.
He has since become a social media star who portrays himself as someone daring to ask uncomfortable questions on tough topics — revolving around unfounded claims such as whether the Sandy Hook school shooter acted alone, the coronavirus vaccine was a money-making ploy by big pharmaceutical companies, and Israel was a ”participant” in the massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.
Swann joined Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine organization, Children’s Health Defense, in a lawsuit pending against several news organizations, including the AP, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines...
So, in addition to being a well- compensated Russian tool, anti- vax loon, and Sandy Hook truther, the guy's an anti-Semite. Sounds like a real deal MAGAt.
The report goes on to detail Swann's reach in the fascist media ecosphere, which makes him all the more dangerous and toxic to our democracy. He's actively promoting propaganda generated by an enemy of America and its allies. By extension, this is what people voting for the Malignant Loser are voting for, whether they know it or not (and if they don't know it by now, they're being willfully ignorant).
(Screenshot: Associated Press)
