The new batch of “Twiter Files” has exposed how the Congressional Democrats and their media ally chose to push the false narrative that Russian bots were behind #ReleaseTheMemo. Democrats chose to peddle the lies despite warnings from Twitter executives that there was no evidence to back their claim.
At the height of the Russian collusion investigation, former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) submitted a classified memo to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) in Jan. 18, 2018. The memo detailed FBI FISA abuses aimed at surveilling several figures in former President Donald Trump’s circle.
1.THREAD: Twitter Files #14
THE RUSSIAGATE LIES
One: The Fake Tale of Russian Bots and the #ReleaseTheMemo Hashtag— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
Nunes’ findings in the memo, which Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz verified in December 2019, prompted the #ReleaseTheMemo. However, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) published an open letter claiming the hashtag gained the attention and assistance of social media accounts linked to Russian influence operations.
9.On January 23rd, 2018, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) published an open letter saying the hashtag “gained the immediate attention and assistance of social media accounts linked to Russian influence operations.” pic.twitter.com/kOC3ab6mXS
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
According to Independent journalist and former Rolling Stone editor Matt Taibbi, Twitter executives contacted the Democrat letting them know that there was no evidence to back their claim.
4.Twitter warned politicians and media the not only lacked evidence, but had evidence the accounts weren’t Russian – and were roundly ignored.
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
“I just reviewed the accounts that posted the first 50 tweets with #releasethememo and… none of them show any signs of affiliation to Russia,” Twitter’s former Trust and Safety chief Yoel Roth wrote in one email.
17.Roth couldn’t find any Russian connection to #ReleaseTheMemo – at all. “I just reviewed the accounts that posted the first 50 tweets with #releasethememo and… none of them show any signs of affiliation to Russia.” pic.twitter.com/wJJ3rmI3Ks
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
Despite Twitter’s warning, the Democrats and their media allies continued to push the Russian bot claims.
“Execs (Twitter Executives)eventually grew frustrated over what they saw as a circular process – presented with claims of Russian activity, even when denied, led to more claims,” Taibbi wrote.
Taibbi added that Twitter executives followed “a slavish pattern of not challenging Russia claims on the record” despite a universal internal conviction that there were no Russians in the story.
Tabbi revealed that Twitter’s decision not to go on the record fed into the media frenzy, with reporters from the AP, Politico, NBC and Rolling Stone constantly hammering on the Russian bot claim despite a total lack of evidence. Taibbi noted that the media outlets were getting their story from Democrats lawmakers
