FBIs Russian-influence probe includes a look at far-right news sites

[pnwmom]

Source: mcclatchydc

WASHINGTON
Federal investigators are examining whether far-right news sites played any role last year in a Russian cyber operation that dramatically widened the reach of news stories some fictional that favored Donald Trumps presidential bid, two people familiar with the inquiry say.

Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as bots, to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.

The bots end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said. Some of the stories were false or mixed fact and fiction, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the bot attacks are part of an FBI-led investigation into a multifaceted Russian operation to influence last years elections.

Investigators examining the bot attacks are exploring whether the far-right news operations took any actions to assist Russias operatives. Their participation, however, wasnt necessary for the bots to amplify their news through Twitter and Facebook.



Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article139695453.html

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Journalist points out that McClatchyDC is the only US news outlet that confirmed Louise Mensch's Fisa warrant story (also confirmed by the BBC and The Guardian).

DeAnn Smith‏ @DeAnnSmithkc 16m16 minutes ago
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DeAnn Smith Retweeted Donna Brazile

This story is chilling. And @McClatchyDC is only US media outlets to report Oct 15 FISA warrant after @LouiseMensch broke story.

[George II]

1. This is getting even better, and even though the republicans have majorities in both houses and...

....the presidency, with all the insulting that trump has done of the FBI and intelligence community all through the campaign and even after being inaugurated, they're not going to leave any stone un-turned and are going to be more ambitious in their investigations.

These are not partisan hacks, these are career professionals whose pride in their jobs and patriotism are far more important than pleasing any politicians.

[SunSeeker]

6. I believe there's a "not" missing in front of partisan in your last sentence. nt

[George II]

7. Yes, of course, thanks very much.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Notice that the Hearings today did not go here.

Firmly believe we have a issue that is only understood by a couple of Congress Persons. Once these hearings hit the Senate,then this story will be fleshed out in it's entirety .

[Beartracks]

3. Far-right WHAT sites?

An extra word -- "news" -- appeared in your post title.



=============

[dalton99a]

4. Kick

[gopiscrap]

5. good, shut those fuckers down

[Cha]

8. KR!

[ffr]

10. As it should be. When they carry water for the Kremlin, they too are guilty.

They knew what they were doing the whole time. It was about preventing Hillary Clinton from being the first female America president. It was an all-out effort and it was just enough, Comey included.

[MelissaB]

11. K&R!

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. If they're lucky, this just makes Breitbart and Infowars "useful idiots"

If there's more to it than that, it means they were complicit in undermining American democracy for the benefit of a foreign power.

[neohippie]

13. This seems a lot like

The story about Cambridge Analytica using weaponized propaganda via bots to spread fake news, which later they tried to deny