A Tennessee-based media company with prominent MAGA personalities on its roster has been accused of receiving millions of dollars from two employees of Russian state-backed media company Russia Today (RT) in order to influence American viewers.
According to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, the Russian employees created a $10 million scheme “to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.”
That, unusually, IS one of the protected speech rights of the first amendment.
As opposed to twitter accusing meta of suppressing their speech or whatever private-entity arguments we normally see.
Demented rapist “predisents” who plan shitty failed coups should absolutely be charged with non-wartime-treason, or sedition. But media outlets spewing garbage is, for better or for worse, our first amendment right.
I don’t think knowingly doing millions in business with a hostile nation we have sanctions against is going to meet the definition of “free speech”.
It is.
I’m curious, are you saying that you personally think receiving money from a hostile foreign country in violation of sanctions should be allowed as free speech, or is this some sort of contrarian reference to Citizens United saying that money is speech in elections?
What normally happens when a foreign agent pays an American to act against the best interest of their country? Genuine question, I’m not being sarcastic I promise.
If a foreign spy convinces a US citizen to give them information that strengthens the foreign power, even if done unwittingly, are they held responsible?
This is a slightly different situation, but at its core it’s Russian spies paying off Americans to weaken their own country.