Russia Behind Disinformation Video Targeting Georgia Election
U.S. officials have attributed a recent video circulating online to Russia, labeling it as disinformation aimed at influencing the Georgia state election. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger condemned the video, calling it fake and likely the work of a Russian troll farm.
The video, posted on social media, features a man claiming to be from Haiti and stating that he and others in the video illegally voted for Kamala Harris. He claims they arrived in the United States six months ago, obtained citizenship, and are voting in multiple Georgia counties.
However, Fulton County officials have confirmed they have no record of a registered voter with the name listed on the driver's license shown in the video. Raffensperger urged social media platforms to remove the video and is working with state and federal partners to determine its source.
The video was posted by an anonymous Twitter account known for sharing disinformation linked to the Russian influence group Storm-1516. This group has been associated with other fabricated videos spreading false claims about elections and prominent figures.
The account has since deleted the video. When contacted by CBS News, the person behind the account claimed they received the video from a paid source, believed to be from Australia.
The U.S. intelligence community has confirmed that Russian actors created the video. In a joint statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) stated that this activity is part of a broader Russian effort to undermine U.S. elections and sow discord among Americans.
Secretary Raffensperger responded to the incident by stating, "The Russians picked the wrong Georgians to mess with.