Day 697
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The Russian disinformation and influence campaign during the 2016 presidential election made a significant effort to target African-Americans, suppress Democratic voter turnout, and was even more active on Instagram than it was on Facebook. A report produced for the Senate Intelligence Committee found that “active and ongoing interference operations remain on several platforms,” including one campaign to bolster support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and influence opinions on the Syrian Civil War. “What is clear,” a second report concludes, “is that all of the messaging clearly sought to benefit the Republican Party — and specifically Donald Trump.” The report continues: “Trump is mentioned most in campaigns targeting conservatives and right-wing voters, where the messaging encouraged these groups to support his campaign. The main groups that could challenge Trump were then provided messaging that sought to confuse, distract and ultimately discourage members from voting.” (New York Times / Washington Post)
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Trump attacked the Federal Reserve again for a series of recent increases in federal interest rates. “It is incredible,” Trump tweeted, “that with a very strong dollar and virtually no inflation, the outside world blowing up around us, Paris is burning and China way down, the Fed is even considering yet another interest rate hike. Take the Victory!” (Reuters)
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Rep. Adam Schiff wants to subpoena Trump’s records with Deutsche Bank because he believes they could expose “a form of compromise” with Russia. Deutsche Bank has a long relationship with Trump, as well as Russia. “Well,” Schiff said, “the concern about Deutsche Bank is that they have a history of laundering Russian money. And this, apparently, was the one bank that was willing to do business with the Trump Organization.” He added: “If this is a form of compromise, it needs to be exposed.” Schiff is the likely incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. (NBC News)
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The father of the 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died in Border Patrol custody says he has “no complaints about how Border Patrol agents treated him and his daughter.” Nery Gilberto Caal told the Guatemalan Consul that CPB agents did everything they could to save his daughter after she got sick. Caal’s lawyers said he was “grateful for the many first responders that tried to save young Jakelin’s life in New Mexico and Texas,” but they’re still calling for “an investigation into the cause and circumstances of Jakelin’s death.” (CNN)
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Michael Flynn’s former business partner was charged with conspiracy and acting as an agent of a foreign government for trying to get Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen extradited back to Turkey from the U.S. Bijan Kian appeared in federal court in Alexandria today to face charges that he conspired with Ekim Alptekin to illegally lobby government officials in the U.S. and to influence public opinion against Gulen. Alptekin is a Turkish businessman who is accused of financing and directing Kian and Flynn’s work and then lying about his involvement in the scheme. (Washington Post)