US conservative commentators Tim Pool and Benny Johnson have responded to the unsealed US Department of Justice indictment accusing “Two RT Employees [of] Covertly Funding and Directing US Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests”. The release does not name the company but refers to it as “Company 1”, described as a Tennessee-based online content creation company. The indictment accuses Russia of carrying out a disinformation campaign targeted at American voters to influence the outcome of the presidential elections. The US government also accused RT and other Russian state-backed media of promoting pro-Kremlin views through their networks.
Conservative commentators Pool and Johnson stated that they were deceived and victims of the alleged scheme involving the Tennessee-based company. Pool expressed his shock and stated that if the allegations were true, he and other commentators were victims of the deception. Johnson shared a similar sentiment, stating that he was disturbed by the allegations and that himself and other influencers were victims of the scheme. The Tennessee-based company, Tenet Media, described itself as a network of heterodox commentators focusing on Western political and cultural issues.
The company applied to conduct business in Tennessee in May 2023, matching records from the Secretary of State’s Office. Despite the allegations in the DOJ indictment, Tenet Media has not released a statement or commented on the situation when contacted by various media organizations. As the investigation unfolds, the involvement of conservative commentators and the alleged Russian disinformation campaign will continue to be a topic of interest and concern in the media.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com