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ItsjustMe

(11,170 posts)
Thu Oct 22, 2020, 09:49 AM Oct 2020

U.S. Says Iran and Russia Obtained Americans Data for Election Meddling

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/u-s-intel-accuses-iran-and-russia-of-election-interference.html?

The U.S. government on Wednesday publicly accused Russia and Iran of separately interfering in the 2020 election, using information they each obtained on American voters.

Tehran is specifically accused of threatening Democratic voters in four states by sending emails that claimed to be from the Proud Boys, the Trump-supporting far-right group. Moscow, authorities said, obtained voter information just as they had during the 2016 election. Authorities did not detail what Russia has allegedly done to influence Americans’ votes.

“We would like to alert the public that we have identified that two foreign actors, Iran and Russia, have taken specific actions to influence public opinion related to our elections,” said the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, during a sudden press conference from Justice Department headquarters.

The Department of Homeland Security said Iran allegedly used the information to intimidate voters in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania by sending emails as the Proud Boys. “You are currently registered as a Democrat and we know this because we have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure,” read the email, in part. “You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you.” Ratcliffe, who was chosen by President Trump to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies, said Iran’s activity was designed to hurt Trump.
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