The Washington Post stepped well over the line of questionable reporting today, venturing deep into a McCarthy-style smear campaign against hundreds of allegedly “fake news” sites accused of being under control of, or influenced by Russia.
Ironically, the Washington Post headline, Russian Propaganda Effort Helped Spread ‘Fake News’ During Election, Experts Say reads like it a “fake news” supermarket tabloid.
The article, written By Craig Timberg, is even worse. It cites anonymous researchers, who propose a Russian fake news team may have delivered the election to Donald Trump.
The article asks Could better Internet security have prevented Trump’s win?.
The researchers blame an “online echo chamber” where some players were knowingly part of the propaganda campaign, while others were merely “useful idiots”.
“The way that this propaganda apparatus supported Trump was equivalent to some massive amount of a media buy,” said the executive director of PropOrNot, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid being targeted by Russia’s legions of skilled hackers. “It was like Russia was running a super PAC for Trump’s campaign. . . . It worked.”
That’s pretty damn amusing. The Washington Post just handed over the website of PropOrNot to those damn Russians (not that they didn’t know it already).
ZeroHedge was on The List at PropOrNot along with many other names you will recognize including that bastion of perpetual right-wing, Republican propaganda, Naked Capitalism (Hint – that was sarcasm).
I failed to make the grade. This post just might do it. Courtesy of ZeroHedge, here is the highlighted list with some sites that many of you will recognize.
“McCarthy would be proud,” commented ZeroHedge. Indeed. I gathered a collection of tweets on the article.
Collection of Tweets on Washington Post
The @washingtonpost literally published a fake news article about fake news.
Heads should roll.— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) November 25, 2016
.@ggreenwald No-one I’ve spoken to listed as “allies” on their site had even heard of them before the WP piece.
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) November 25, 2016
Serious question: has there been ANY credible evidence that Russia actually lifted a finger to interfere with US election ?
— Jean-François Mezei (@jfmezei) November 25, 2016
This raises a good point: if Dems believe even 1/10 of what they’re saying about Russia, they should be furious at WH for passivity/inaction https://t.co/uNEkz2UEfV
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 25, 2016
Anonymous group that provided Russia “fake news” list promoted by @jonathanweisman also wants US to investigate said outlets for espionage pic.twitter.com/jEiGV8LqDS
— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonCHI) November 25, 2016
what academic study does the 213 million figure or the “russian propaganda” media list come from exactly?
— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonCHI) November 25, 2016
https://twitter.com/historyinflicks/status/802211443227709440
“Isnt this McCarthyism?”
“No we just made a media blacklist & are calling for the FBI to investigate those on for espionage”@historyinflicks— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonCHI) November 25, 2016
Embarrassing how many reporters breathlessly tweeted this without clicking through to the really shady site featured https://t.co/wGdy1GRuij
— Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) November 25, 2016
This one’s perfect: If you call the US weak, you’re working for Russia, but if you call the US aggressive, you’re *also* working for Russia pic.twitter.com/onfMsEomER
— Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) November 25, 2016
According to ProporNot, you’re a Russian propagandist if you’re critical of US policy or think military confrontation with RUS is dangerous pic.twitter.com/8kX538n6Nj
— Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) November 25, 2016
Remember how many 1000s of people – including journalists – instantly tweeted the Slate story of a Trump server to a Russian bank: total BS.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 25, 2016
Not only is it disgusting how they smear these sites w/no evidence; worse is that they do it while hiding their identity. Great job, WPost: https://t.co/RmcKTsiqeX
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 25, 2016
Smear Campaign
The Washington Post article is nothing more than a McCarthy-style smear campaign against sites that are anti-Hillary, anti-war, or pro-Russia.
No evidence was provided. The authors of “the list” remain anonymous, purportedly out of fear of Russian hackers, who have ZeroHedge and others under their control.
Don’t worry, it’s not McCarthyism. They are merely calling for “formal investigations by the US governments” because they “strongly suspect individuals violated the Espionage Act, the Foreign Agent Registration Act, and other related laws“.
ZeroHedge, Yves Smith at NakedCapitalism, Charles Hughes Smith at OfTwoMinds, Alex Jones at InfoWars, David Stockman, Lew Rockwell, and many others are suspects.
How did I miss being on the list? Should I be pleased or disappointed?
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
