DOJ indictments go after Tenet Media, Tim Pool

[WarriorLiberty]

Things must be getting desperate for the Harris/Walz and Biden team.
To go after Tim Pool? and accuse him and others of being ERRRRR accuse them of being working with "Russian Propaganda"

https://x.com/rawsalerts/status/1831438539122487751

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

Raw Alerts puts it nicely

https://x.com/rawsalerts/status/1831442896437846194


Must be due to that CNN and MSNBC arent doing to well in their ratings? and now they fear Tim Pool's largest audience to the Mainstream News Media lacking viewership?

[jkr]

going after sk8r trash?

ITS A NEW LOW RECOOOooooOOOORRRD!

[Anti Globalist]

You're a special kind of stupid if you think people like Tim Pool are Russian assets.

[WarriorLiberty]

A bit of update with more.

https://x.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1831466488936460315

Dave Rubin Released a statement.

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

[unknown]

They're going after China and Russia...

What about the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

[A. Havnes]

https://www.mediaite.com/crime/dave-...oj-indictment/

Will edit this once I’m on desktop so I can format it properly. I’m on mobile and can’t see a way to add quotes or links.

Article:

A new Department of Justice indictment unsealed on Wednesday accuses a Tennessee-based content company with several high profile right-wing personalities on its roster of being part of a Russian influence operation, working to infiltrate U.S. media with the Kremlin’s propaganda.

The indictment does not identify the company by name, “but descriptions in the indictment match those of Tennessee-based Tenet Media,” reported The Tennessean.

Tenet Media’s website declares “fearless voices live here,” and describes itself as “a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.” Creators currently listed on the site and featuring in videos on its YouTube channel include Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen.

According to a DOJ press release regarding the unsealed indictment Wednesday, two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, also known as Kostya, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, also known as Lena, were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva were employed by RT, formerly known as Russia Today, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, according to the indictment, which describes how RT has launched several “covert projects” that are “designed to shape public opinion” in the U.S. and other Western countries, including this alleged “funding and direction of a Tennessee-based online content creation company.”

The indictment goes on to allege that the defendants “have deployed nearly $10 million, laundered through a network of foreign shell entities, to covertly fund and direct” that Tennessee company.

Comments from top DOJ and FBI officials sharply denounced the alleged criminal scheme as “[c]overt attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda”and to “illegally manipulate American public opinion by sowing discord and division” by “co-opt[ing] online commentators by funneling them nearly $10 million to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences.”

The indictment alleges that Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva directed the scheme from Moscow using multiple fake identities and shell companies, funneling nearly $10 million to secretly finance and direct the activities of the Tennessee company, which included posting video content on multiple social media platforms that included TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. Since the company launched in November 2023, the indictment alleges, it has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have more than 16 million views just on YouTube.

From the DOJ press release:

“Many of the videos posted by U.S. Company-1 contain commentary on events and issues in the U.S., such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy. While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, most are directed to the publicly stated goals of the Government of Russia and RT — to amplify domestic divisions in the United States.

In order to carry out RT’s secret influence campaign in the United States, Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva operated under covert identities at U.S. Company-1. Posing as an outside editor, Kalashnikov edited U.S. Company-1 content, monitored U.S. Company-1’s funding and hiring, and introduced Afanasyeva as a member of his purported editing team. Using the fake personas Helena Shudra and Victoria Pesti, Afanasyeva posted and directed the posting by U.S. Company-1 of hundreds of videos. Afanasyeva also collected information from and gave instructions to U.S. Company-1 staff. For example, after the March 22, 2024, terrorist attack on a music venue in Moscow, Afanasyeva asked one of U.S. Company-1’s founders to blame Ukraine and the United States for the attack, writing: “I think we can focus on the Ukraine/U.S. angle. . . . [T]he mainstream media spread fake news that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack yet ISIS itself never made such statements. All terrorists are now detained while they were heading to the border with Ukraine which makes it even more suspicious why they would want to go to Ukraine to hide.”

…U.S. Company-1 never disclosed to its viewers that it was funded and directed by RT. Nor did U.S. Company-1 or its two founders register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal.”

Both Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva remain at large. The charges against them are conspiracy to violate FARA, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

Johnson tweeted a statement responding to the indictment, which was unsealed, not “leaked” as he stated:

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:

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 clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

Pool also posted a statement:

My statement regarding allegations and the DOJ Indictment

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed

The Culture War Podcast was licensed by Tenet Media, it existed well before any license agreement with Tenet and it will continue to exist after any such agreement expires. The only change with the agreement was that the location of the live broadcast moved to Tenet's Youtube Channel. I and TCW never produced any content for Tenet Media.

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. Examples include discussing spirituality, dating, and videos games.

The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company TCW is separate company not associated with http://Timcast.com or other properties. It exists solely for the production of the Culture War Podcast

That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations.

Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls

And to the journalists who wish to jump the gun, create their own narrative, or lie about what is currently going on,

you can eat my irish ass

(corrected)

— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 4, 2024

Rubin has not yet posted his own statement but did retweet Pool’s and shared a tweet from another user with a screenshot of the indictment saying it accused Lauren Chen and her husband of having “intentionally deceived the influencers mentioned below (seemingly Dave Rubin and Tim Pool) regarding the source of the funding.”

So just to clarify because I think it’s important to note:

The indictment alleges that the founders of the company, Lauren Chen and her husband, intentionally deceived the influencers mentioned below (seemingly Dave Rubin and Tim Pool) regarding the source of the funding. https://t.co/CuJz7SPkP2 pic.twitter.com/o5q4joyBlt

— AG (@AGHamilton29) September 4, 2024

Read the DOJ press release here and the full indictment here.

[CaptUSA]

So, think this out...

If there are internet shows that are getting the truth out about the American empire and its role in this Ukraine debacle, then Russia has an incentive to make sure that those shows are not struggling for funding. There is also an incentive to make sure that those funding sources are not traced back to the Russian government.

This site also allows the truth to be shared. I wouldn't be surprised if there are ties here as well.

It means NOTHING as far as content goes. We are free people who share our thoughts, insights and research on various topics. Same with Rubin, Pool and Johnson.

[sparebulb]

This will be the talking points for the next few months.

Meanwhile, it is practically illegal to oppose Israeli influence in everything from gun control and hom0 groups, all traditional media, and each and every congressman.

[WarriorLiberty]

So, think this out...

If there are internet shows that are getting the truth out about the American empire and its role in this Ukraine debacle, then Russia has an incentive to make sure that those shows are not struggling for funding. There is also an incentive to make sure that those funding sources are not traced back to the Russian government.

This site also allows the truth to be shared. I wouldn't be surprised if there are ties here as well.

It means NOTHING as far as content goes. We are free people who share our thoughts, insights and research on various topics. Same with Rubin, Pool and Johnson.

Now Comically Tim Pool has put Ukrainian and Israeli flags on his twitter page.
I think for the laughs clearly.

https://x.com/Timcast/status/1831679367086301673

All this 200Billion that is going to Ukraine though could have been better used for education programs at home instated of funding a unwinnable war.
Ukrainians will never win a war with Russia unless there is a direct NATO involvement even then that would be a declaration of war by NATO with Russia.

[nobody's_hero]

They're going after China and Russia...

What about the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

I don't think this is about China or Russia. Tim et. al. are pulling a lot of audience away from the approved corporate media giants.

That's a no-no. Especially during campaign season.

They're going to go after black conservative youtubers next. Watch.

[Brian4Liberty]

https://x.com/USAB4L/status/1831801703341195383

[Brian4Liberty]

https://x.com/USAB4L/status/1831804318498091027

[Brian4Liberty]

https://x.com/USAB4L/status/1831904354514956396

[TheTexan]

So, think this out...

If there are internet shows that are getting the truth out about the American empire and its role in this Ukraine debacle, then Russia has an incentive to make sure that those shows are not struggling for funding. There is also an incentive to make sure that those funding sources are not traced back to the Russian government.

This site also allows the truth to be shared. I wouldn't be surprised if there are ties here as well.

It means NOTHING as far as content goes. We are free people who share our thoughts, insights and research on various topics. Same with Rubin, Pool and Johnson.

This whole thread is Russian propaganda

[Brian4Liberty]

https://x.com/GenXGirl1994/status/1831848985587544184

[sparebulb]

Merrick Garland definitely lives up to his birth name of Moshe Garfinkel.

Trivia: Did you know that Moshe is former Iowa governor, Terry Branstad second cousin?

[Brian4Liberty]

...
This site also allows the truth to be shared. I wouldn't be surprised if there are ties here as well.
...

LOL.

Anyone can become a member here and post, but I'm pretty sure there is no outside funding to keep this forum running.

See:

...
Pros:
- Much lower hosting costs (we are currently way to in the red every month, we'll still be in the red but way less painful)
...

[Anti Federalist]

https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1831821568915468574

[unknown]

Look at these lies.

[Occam's Banana]

THREAD: Russia! Russia! Russia! … Is Hillary At It Again?

Russia! Russia! Russia! … Is Hillary At It Again?

Here we go again. For the third straight election in a row, Russia is being accused of interfering in “our democracy.” Many will remember that the last time around, more than 50 former intelligence officials signed a letter denouncing the Hunter Biden laptop as "Russian disinformation.” It wasn’t, and even Big Tech censored the story. Yet here we are with Russia! Russia! Russia! once again.

CLIP from SYSTEM UPDATE #327:

Dems Desperately Revive Russian Interference Hysteria Ahead of Election
https://rumble.com/v5drv71-dems-desp...-election.html
{Glenn Greenwald | 05 September 2024}

//

[Occam's Banana]

This whole thread is Russian propaganda

Where's my cut of that $10 million, dammit!?

[Occam's Banana]

Where's my cut of that $10 million, dammit!?

Seriously, though ...

Apparently, some people paid and/or otherwise encouraged some other people to try to get some yet-other people to say (or not say) some things.

Big fat hairy deal.

Advertisers and sponsors do this all the time (for just one of myriad possible examples).

So people should get their panties in a twist over this ... why, exactly?

Because of made-up "crimes" like "money laundering"?

Because "ZOMG!1!! Russia!!"?

(Get back to me when Putin's boot is as close to my neck as the boots of the $#@!s who piss and moan about him so much).

And let's not even get into the stark raving hypocrisy of all this, considering the U.S. government vis-à-vis the "mainstream" media ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1dnqKGuezo
]

[Occam's Banana]

Russians Infiltrate Conservative Media
https://odysee.com/@actualjusticewar...vative-media:7
{Actual Justice Warrior | 06 September 2024}

In this video I discuss the recent DOJ Indictment that alleges that Tenet media was a Russian front that tricked popular conservative creators into signing with their network.

Sources:

DOJ Indictment Full: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1366266/dl
DOJ Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-r...shed-thousands
Feb 16th Tweet: https://twitter.com/watchTENETnow/st...10064812724271
Canadian Government Tweet: https://twitter.com/DLeBlancNB/statu...29633999409314
Full Canadian Government Official Statement Tweet: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safe...perations.html
Cenk LIES About This Story: https://youtu.be/-Qww0aZCiwg
Alleged Benny Johnson Bad Video: https://youtu.be/IFTa6_tn10c
Me On Culture War June 23rd: https://youtu.be/SOnfHUhU9X8
Chen On Timcast July 6th: https://youtu.be/JhYYP_-FRfQ

[Anti Federalist]

Where's my cut of that $10 million, dammit!?

No ten million for any of us.

Best we can hope for is to end up in a cell with Ricky Vaughn.

[Brian4Liberty]

https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1831821568915468574

...

https://x.com/thevivafrei/status/1832821065090736445

@thevivafrei

Appreciate how insidiously manipulative / deceitful what the DOJ is doing to Dave Rubin, Tim Pool and Benny Johnson...

By alleging in the indictment that the commentators are victims of a crime, the DOJ has effectively forced them to state as much publicly, thus effectively manipulating (or coercing) them to ratify/legitimize what are now mere allegations in an indictment. DOJ gets the headlines they needed 60 days out from an election.

If the commentators come out and say "we don't feel like we were victims of a crime" or "we don't even think there was a crime here", DOJ / media will say they are complicit.

Once DOJ labels them as victims of a crime, any refusal to cooperate with authorities will be viewed as highly suspect. After all, if they are victims, why wouldn't they want to cooperate to clear their names/seek justice?

So they will be asked to sit down, cooperate - and at least from a DOJ / fake news media perspective, corroborate - the DOJ's assertion that they are victims, which will be weaponized as a confirmation of the broader allegations of "Russian interference".

And, who knows what the DOJ will find in the course of any such "amicable discussions" with Pool et al... Did you have a license for this? A registration for that? Did you report this income? Oh what's that, an improper entry in your corprorate ledgers?

We have lived through, and are still in the eye of an era of "bring me the man and I will find you the crime".

Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnsons et al. are just as much a "threat" to the the administration as any alleged "Russian interference". They might very well have been the targets from the beginning.

If the DOJ didn't nab them in this scheme (which we have good reason to suspect is just as crooked as the 2016 FBI falsifying evidence to obtain unlawful FISA spy warrants on Carter Page first iteration of the Russia-Gate Hoax), they are still ideological targets who, in my view, are currently being strong-armed / coerced by insidious manipulation that is is no way intended to exonerate them legally or the in court of public opinion.

My humble assessment.

[WarriorLiberty]

https://x.com/thevivafrei/status/1832821065090736445

Just a question have the DOJ actually found any wrong doing? or does this seem scream like a pre election story and we wont hear it anymore after the elections?

[acptulsa]

[Occam's Banana]

Lauren Chen Did NOTHING Wrong?
https://odysee.com/@actualjusticewar...othing-wrong:2
{Actual Justice Warrior | 09 September 2024}

In this video I go over in detail the indictment against Tenet media & I explain how it could actually exonerate Lauren Chen & her husband, despite reporting to the contrary.

Sources:

DOJ Indictment Full: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1366266/dl
DOJ Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-r...shed-thousands
Merrick Garland Tenet: https://youtu.be/0ddxjUlrUFc
Feb 16th Tweet: https://twitter.com/watchTENETnow/st...10064812724271
Canadian Government Tweet: https://twitter.com/DLeBlancNB/statu...29633999409314
Full Canadian Government Official Statement Tweet: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safe...perations.html
Alleged Benny Johnson Bad Video: https://youtu.be/IFTa6_tn10c
Me On Culture War June 23rd: https://youtu.be/SOnfHUhU9X8
Chen On Timcast July 6th: https://youtu.be/JhYYP_-FRfQ

[Occam's Banana]

Left? Right? It doesn't matter.

The Feds come for all who dare to not kiss their ring (or ass):

CLIP from SYSTEM UPDATE #333:

Mixed Verdict Reached in Case of Black Socialists Accused of Acting as "Russian Agents"
https://rumble.com/v5exmob-mixed-ver...g-as-russ.html
{Glenn Greenwald | 14 September 2024}

[James_Madison_Lives]

If I want to take money to publish Russian propaganda that is still part of free speech. Free speech is absolute except yelling fire in a crowded theater. Skokie Illinois vs. America Nazi Party. This will be tossed it is pure intimidation and desperation.