The Smartest Investors Club
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World

The Smartest Investors Club

Politics

China going after down-ballot races: report reveals which lawmakers are in their crosshairs

by October 24, 2024
October 24, 2024
China going after down-ballot races: report reveals which lawmakers are in their crosshairs

U.S. adversaries are ramping up their election-interference efforts, and China is going after anti-CCP down-ballot Republicans, according to a new report by Microsoft. 

Russia, meanwhile, is continuing to smear Vice President Kamala Harris and her campaign with fake videos, and Iranian actors have been eyeing up election-related websites and mainstream media outlets.

Some of the misinformation campaigns pick up little traction, while others are amplified by thousands of unwitting Americans. 

‘With a particular focus on the 48 hours before and after Election Day, voters, government institutions, candidates, and parties must remain vigilant against deceptive and suspicious activity online,’ Microsoft said in its election report. 

Iran, last week, built a fake online persona known as ‘Bushnell’s Men’ calling on American voters to sit out the election due to both candidates’ support of Israel’s military operations, the report found. 

Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn is running for re-election with a safe double-digit lead over her Democratic opponent. And yet China has deployed influence actors to go after her online due to her efforts to ban TikTok and combat the CCP. 

In addition to Blackburn, China has taken a particular interest in three Republicans: Reps. Michael McCaul, Texas, Barry Moore, Ala., and Marco Rubio, Fla. 

‘This is nothing new. I’ve been informed before about China trying to carry out a malign influence campaign against me,’ Blackburn told Fox News Digital. 

‘China gets upset with me because I believe that you’ve got China trying to spy on our citizens,’ she went on. ‘You have them pushing danger and harm toward our children. They do not keep their trade agreements when it comes to agricultural products and manufactured goods. And I speak out about this. I felt like the Biden administration has treated China like they’re a friend or a business partner.’ 

The report found that in late September, Chinese actor Taizi Flood launched an online campaign criticizing Blackburn and promoting her opponent, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Tenn. 

One Flood post claimed that Blackburn ‘took $700,000 from opioid companies,’ referring to her campaign donations from pharmaceutical companies. 

The CCP is also going after McCaul by accusing him of ‘abusing power for personal gain.’ CCP-linked online posts accused McCaul of insider trading and pushing controversial bills. McCaul was sanctioned by China in 2023 after a visit to Taiwan. 

Flood-linked accounts also went after Moore, criticizing him for his support for Israel, with antisemitic language, according to the report. 

Unlike the Blackburn posts, Flood’s attacks on Moore picked up steam online and were further amplified by other Flood assets. 

Flood accounts attacked Rubio, who is not up for re-election, by accusing him of corruption. Microsoft has tracked influence operations surrounding Rubio since 2022.

Russia, China and Iran have all denied claims that they meddle in U.S. political affairs.

Blackburn, who has been pushing for passage of her kids’ online safety bill and has long called for the banning of TikTok, called the popular video-sharing platform a ‘spy mechanism.’ 

‘What they’re doing is building a database for every one of our children who are on — and adults, too — that platform, and they are using this to be able to track you, to monitor you, to control what you see, what you say, what you hear, what you think and ultimately how you vote.’ 

If Republicans take power in the November elections, Blackburn said she would push for them to ban all Confucius Institutes, or higher education centers run by CCP-affiliated scholars, hold China ‘accountable for their role in pushing fentanyl on our people’ and recognize Taiwan’s independence from China. 

The U.S. does not formally support or recognize Taiwan’s independence, though it arms the tiny island democracy against an encroaching Chinese military presence. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Harris entertains Supreme Court-packing question during town hall, supports ‘some kind of reform’
next post
Jamie Dimon walks political tightrope, may be considering Harris cabinet position: report

You may also like

Trump projected to win Republican presidential caucuses in...

House GOP lawmaker rejects committee assignments to dedicate...

WATCH: Biden claims without evidence he was at...

Trump tells GOP to ‘pass the SAVE Act’...

Ukraine enters fourth year of war with Russia:...

Fox News Power Rankings: The 2024 GOP presidential...

Pentagon threatens no new limits on Ukraine weapons...

Devon Archer confirms Joe Biden ‘lied’ about knowledge...

CLAY TRAVIS: When the Dems lose a Kennedy,...

Experts question RFK Jr.’s sudden ‘bizarre’ medical claims...

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • Massachusetts suspect charged with attempting to assassinate a Cabinet nominee

    • Pakistan says it has struck military targets inside India in series of new attacks

    • Rodrigo Duterte is being held at The Hague. Next week he might be elected mayor of his hometown

    • Buffett Hands Over Reins, What’s Next for Berkshire’s Capital Strategy?

    • Triumph Gold Updates Shareholders on Operations, Engages Market Maker, and Grants Options

    Categories

    • Business (1,633)
    • Investing (4,797)
    • Politics (7,546)
    • World (6,132)
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • About us

    Disclaimer: thesmartestinvestorsclub.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 thesmartestinvestorsclub.com | All Rights Reserved


    Back To Top