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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

U.S.

Conservative podcasters react to Russian influence campaign allegations

Sep 05, 2024

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Several high-profile conservative influencers, including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, say they are victims of a purported Russian disinformation campaign. The Department of Justice has indicted two employees from RT, a Russian state media outlet.

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It accuses the employees of covertly funneling nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based media company to promote pro-Russian narratives. The indictment describes the company as a network of conservative commentators, which closely matches Tenet Media, a platform hosting Pool, Johnson and others.

According to the indictment, the media company, which has featured notable conservative figures such as Lara Trump and Kari Lake, received substantial payments from RT but did not disclose these connections.

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This funding was allegedly used to create content that aligned with Russian interests, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The Justice Department’s indictment is one of its most extensive actions against foreign disinformation efforts. It includes the seizure of Kremlin-run websites and sanctions against RT’s top officials.

The indictment details how RT employees allegedly used shell companies to conceal the true origin of their funding and influence conservative media in the U.S.

The indictment alleges that Tenet Media produced nearly 2,000 videos, garnering over 16 million views on YouTube, with payments to its commentators totaling at least $8.7 million. RT, which had its operations curtailed in the U.S. following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has dismissed the accusations.

Some of the conservative commentators involved have reacted on X, asserting they are victims and emphasizing their lack of control over external financial dealings.

https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1831443521603301497

Benny Johnson, host of “The Benny Show,” said, “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. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clearer that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.”

https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/1831478093661245681

Dave Rubin, host of “The Rubin Report,” stated, “I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period. The DOJ has never contacted me regarding this matter, and I have no intention to comment further.”

https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/1831473189173731589

Tim Pool, host of “The Culture War Podcast,” said, “Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show, and the contents of the show are often apolitical. The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company. That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations.”

Tags: Conservative, Disinformation, Indictment, podcast, Russia, U.S. Department of Justice, Ukraine

Karah Rucker

SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCERS, INCLUDING TIM POOL, DAVE RUBIN, AND BENNY JOHNSON, SAY THEY ARE VICTIMS OF A PURPORTED RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS INDICTED TWO EMPLOYEES FROM R-T, A RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA OUTLET –

ACCUSING THEM OF COVERTLY FUNNELING NEARLY $10 MILLION TO A TENNESSEE-BASED MEDIA COMPANY TO PUSH PRO-RUSSIAN NARRATIVES.

THE INDICTMENT DESCRIBES THE COMPANY AS A NETWORK OF CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATORS, WHICH CLOSELY MATCHES TENET MEDIA, A PLATFORM HOSTING POOL, JOHNSON, AND OTHERS.

ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, THE MEDIA COMPANY – WHICH HAS FEATURED NOTABLE CONSERVATIVE FIGURES LIKE LARA TRUMP AND KARI LAKE –

RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL PAYMENTS FROM R-T BUT FAILED TO DISCLOSE THESE CONNECTIONS.

THIS FUNDING WAS ALLEGEDLY USED TO CREATE CONTENT THAT ALIGNED WITH RUSSIAN INTERESTS, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S INDICTMENT MARKS ONE OF ITS MOST EXTENSIVE ACTIONS AGAINST FOREIGN DISINFORMATION EFFORTS.

IT INCLUDES THE SEIZURE OF KREMLIN-RUN WEBSITES AND SANCTIONS AGAINST RT’S TOP OFFICIALS.

THE INDICTMENT DETAILS HOW RT EMPLOYEES ALLEGEDLY USED SHELL COMPANIES TO MASK THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THEIR FUNDING AND INFLUENCE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA IN THE US.

THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THAT THE TENNESSEE MEDIA COMPANY PRODUCED NEARLY 2,000 VIDEOS GARNERING OVER 16 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, WITH PAYMENTS TO ITS COMMENTATORS TOTALING AT LEAST $8.7 MILLION DOLLARS.

RT, WHICH HAD ITS OPERATIONS CURTAILED IN THE US AFTER RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE, DISMISSED THE ACCUSATIONS.

SOME OF THE CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATORS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE ARE REACTING ON X – SAYING THEY ARE THE VICTIMS – AND EMPHASIZED THEIR LACK OF CONTROL OVER EXTERNAL FINANCIAL DEALINGS.

HOST OF THE BENNY SHOW – BENNY JOHNSON SAID “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. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clearer that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.”

HOST OF THE RUBIN REPORT – DAVE RUBIN SAID “I KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT ANY OF THIS FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY. PERIOD. THE DOJ HAS NEVER CONTACTED ME REGARDING THIS MATTER AND I HAVE NO INTENTION TO COMMENT FURTHER.”

AND THE HOST OF THE CULTURE WAR PODCAST TIM POOL SAYS –

“Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show and the contents of the show are often apolitical. The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company. That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations.”

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Conservative podcasters react to Russian influence campaign allegations

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