Merrick Garland’s DOJ Goes After Putin’s Mouthpieces in US

Americans with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state TV networks are being investigated by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice as part of a sweeping push to quash potential interference by the Kremlin in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The development comes after the FBI earlier this month searched the homes of Scott Ritter a former United Nations Special Commission weapons inspector, U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer, and a convicted sex offender; and Russian-born Dimitri Simes, a former adviser with Donald Trump’s first presidential election campaign in 2016.
The Times, citing U.S. officials familiar with the situation, said the FBI is likely to conduct further searches soon, and did not rule out criminal charges.
Ritter has regularly contributed to Russian state media and often mirrors Kremlin talking points on Putin’s war in Ukraine. Simes is the host of a weekly current affairs program on Russia’s state-run Channel One.
In January, Ritter visited the Russian republic of Chechnya, offering its leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his fighters “friendship” with the United States during an address in the capital Grozny.
Ritter said he wants to “work for the friendship between Chechnya and America” and predicted Russia would win the war against Ukraine.
“America isn’t a bad place. American people are like you. Good people. The state is a different matter. That’s politics. I’m not a politician. I’m a soldier, like you,” he said.
“I think you will win. I know how you work. And when it’s over, I want every Chechen soldier to return home to normal life. Once more, many thanks, I’m very happy to be here. I’m very happy to make your acquaintance,” Ritter added.
Simes, who has’t been in the U.S. since 2022, told Russia’s state-run Sputnik News last week that the FBI raid was “an attempt to intimidate, not only somebody from Russia, but just anyone who goes against official policies and particularly against the deep state.”
Ritter told Sputnik News that “this is a very dangerous time for all Americans.”
“Understand that the U.S. government doesn’t trust you. Doesn’t believe you’re capable of thinking. The U.S. government is actively trying to deceive you and manipulate you,” he said.
Newsweek has contacted the FBI for comment by email.
In late July, the Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC), a U.S. spy agency that operates under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, warned that Americans could be targeted by Russian propaganda in the lead-up to the November 5 election between Trump and Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly using actors to leverage its own influence-for-hire firms based in Russia to shape public opinion in the U.S., including with operations related to the U.S. election, the FMIC warned.
“These firms have created influence platforms, directly and discreetly engaged Americans, and used improved tools to tailor content for U.S. audiences, while hiding Russia’s hand,” the agency said.
“Russian influence actors have undertaken distinct efforts during this election cycle to build and use networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russian-friendly narratives.”
“Moscow continues to use a broad stable of influence actors and tactics and is working to better hide its hand, enhance its reach, and create content that resonates more with U.S. audiences,” the FMIC added.
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