Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Trump administration and its alleged ties to Russia, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for anyone spreading ‘misinformation’ to be criminally charged as a better deterrence ahead of the election. Specifically, Clinton told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow that Americans “engaged” in “propaganda” – similar to the type that led to the Russians “boosting Trump” in 2016 – should face criminal prosecution.
Clinton stated, “I think it’s important to indict the Russians, just as Mueller indicted a lot of Russians who were engaged in direct election interference and boosting Trump back in 2016.” However, she also believes that there are Americans who are engaged in this type of propaganda and should face criminal charges. Clinton argues that “the Russians are unlikely, except in a very few cases, to ever stand trial in the United States,” so it would be more effective to charge Americans involved in spreading misinformation.
Journalist Aaron Mate points out the hypocrisy of Clinton’s argument, as she invokes the discredited “Russiagate” scam that itself was the product of her campaign’s propaganda. Mate also notes that the case Clinton references – Mueller charging some Russians for social media activity – led to Mueller dropping the case after the Russian company showed up to fight the case in court.
The full transcript of Clinton’s interview with MSNBC can be found on RealClearPolitics, where she discusses the importance of indicting not only Russians but also Americans who engage in propaganda and misinformation. She emphasizes that while the U.S. government has taken steps to address election interference, there is still a long way to go in uncovering the full extent of foreign influence on American elections.
Clinton’s comments have sparked reactions from various political figures, including Trump running mate JD Vance, who criticized her demands for censorship and even violence. Vance called for rejecting censorship and violence, urging citizens to stand up against these tactics.