U.S. Investigation into Americans Linked to Russian State Media

Social Media · August 22

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a comprehensive criminal investigation into Americans who have collaborated with Russia's state television networks, reflecting a concerted effort to thwart the Kremlin's attempts to influence the upcoming presidential election in November. This investigation, which underscores growing concern over foreign interference in U.S. elections, has led to significant actions, including FBI raids on the homes of individuals connected to Russian media.

Earlier this month, FBI agents executed search warrants at the residences of two high-profile figures associated with Russian state television: Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector and vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy, and Dimitri K. Simes, an adviser to former President Donald J. Trump's 2016 campaign. Although no charges have been filed against either man, the searches suggest that the investigation could soon yield criminal charges, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

This investigation follows the Biden administration's official intelligence assessments, which indicate that Russia's state-run news organizations, including the global broadcaster RT, are collaborating with Russian intelligence agencies to influence elections worldwide. The Kremlin's efforts, which include disinformation campaigns targeting the November election between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, have alarmed U.S. officials. For the third time, Russia's propaganda apparatus has aligned itself with Trump's candidacy, utilizing online news outlets and fake videos to undermine President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris.

The investigation is particularly focused on potential violations of economic sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, as well as breaches of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which mandates the disclosure of lobbying activities on behalf of foreign governments. The Department of Justice's actions are politically charged, echoing the contentious debates over Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Moreover, the investigation's focus on Americans working with state-run news organizations raises potential First Amendment concerns, particularly regarding the protection of free speech.

On July 29, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a warning that Russia was exploiting both "witting and unwitting Americans" to disseminate narratives favorable to President Vladimir Putin's government. The statement highlighted that these individuals "post content on social media, write for various websites with overt and covert ties to the Russian government, and conduct other media efforts." However, the investigation is not targeting ordinary Americans who consume or share Russian state media content online; rather, it is concentrating on those who are intentionally spreading disinformation on behalf of Moscow.

Scott Ritter, who has contributed writings to RT and other news organizations, described the hours-long search of his Delmar, New York, home on August 7 as an attempt to intimidate him for his political views on the United States, Russia, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. FBI agents and state police seized mobile phones, computers, and hard drives during the raid but did not arrest Ritter. "It's an absolute frontal assault on the Constitution of the United States," Ritter said in a phone interview, expressing his frustration and disbelief.

The scope of the investigation remains unclear, as the Justice Department and other officials in Washington have declined to comment on its progress or future actions. However, the Biden administration's growing alarm over Russia's influence operations has led to an increased willingness to take decisive action.

Last month, the Justice Department, in collaboration with Canadian and Dutch governments and Elon Musk's social media platform X, successfully dismantled a covert Russian campaign designed to sow discord in the United States and other countries. The operation resulted in the takedown of 968 inauthentic accounts that were operated using commercially available artificial intelligence tools. The FBI linked these accounts to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and RT, underscoring the deep connections between Russian state media and the Kremlin's intelligence apparatus.

Russia's state television networks, which broadcast in English and other languages, serve as a global platform for Putin's views, often portraying the United States and its allies as imperialist powers bent on global domination. Ritter, who traveled to Russia and occupied parts of Ukraine in January, noted that the warrant to search his home referenced an investigation related to FARA. This federal law requires Americans engaged in lobbying or political activities on behalf of foreign governments to disclose their work.

Dimitri K. Simes, a Soviet-born American citizen, is also under investigation for possible violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which provides the legal basis for imposing economic sanctions. On August 13, FBI agents raided a 132-acre estate near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia that Simes and his wife had purchased in July 2021. Simes, 76, has been a prominent figure in American foreign policy circles since emigrating from the Soviet Union in 1973. He served as an informal adviser on Soviet affairs to President Richard Nixon and later became the head of a think tank now known as the Center for the National Interest.

In 2016, Simes hosted a speech by Trump, then a presidential candidate, in which Trump called for improved relations with Russia. Simes also introduced Trump to the Russian ambassador at the time and passed on what he believed to be compromising information about former President Bill Clinton to Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, during the 2016 campaign. Although Simes was interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller's team during the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, he was not accused of any wrongdoing. Simes stepped down from the Center for the National Interest in 2022 and has been in Russia since October of that year, according to an interview he gave on Sputnik, another Russian state television network.

During the interview, Simes speculated that the FBI's search of his property was an attempt to silence anyone advocating for improved U.S.-Russia relations. He revealed that his bank accounts had been frozen, except for one used to deposit his Social Security checks, and expressed concern that the FBI had seized valuable paintings by Soviet and Russian avant-garde artists from his home. "It clearly is an attempt to intimidate, not only somebody from Russia, but just anyone who goes against official policies and particularly against the deep state," Simes said during the interview.

Since 2017, the Department of Justice has required RT to register as a foreign agent under FARA, rather than as a news organization, reflecting the U.S. government's view of RT as an instrument of Russian state control. There is no established legal precedent that clearly defines whether journalists working for such organizations fall under the requirements of FARA. Ritter, in his interview, stated that he had been contributing articles to RT since 2020 and was compensated per article, earning between $150 and $300, which he described as the industry norm. He emphasized that the editorial control exerted by RT was no different from that of other news organizations, and he strongly defended his work as a journalist.

However, Ritter's outspoken defense of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022, has drawn significant scrutiny. He has frequently echoed Russia's narrative that blames the United States and NATO for the conflict, a position that has only deepened suspicions about his motivations and affiliations. "The only reason why I can believe that they’re doing this," Ritter said, "is if there’s some national security interest where they believe somehow I am actively conspiring with Russia against the interests of the United States, that I have become more than just a propagandist, that I become something more like, you know, a weapon of disinformation."

As the investigation continues, the legal and political ramifications of targeting individuals associated with foreign state media will likely intensify the debate over election security, free speech, and the appropriate measures to counter foreign influence in American democracy. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications, not only for the individuals involved but also for the broader landscape of U.S. foreign policy and domestic political discourse.

Credit: NYT 2024-08-23