Video footage emerged showing individuals allegedly casting illegal votes in Georgia. According to U.S. intelligence officials, a video produced by Russian actors has been circulating, falsely depicting individuals from another country voting illegally in the United States.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a joint statement on Nov. 1, stating that the intelligence community believes that Russian influence actors created the video in question. The video purportedly shows individuals claiming to be from Haiti illegally voting in multiple counties in Georgia.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger denounced the video as disinformation, stating that it is likely foreign interference aimed at sowing discord and chaos ahead of the 2024 Presidential election. Raffensperger pointed to Russians as the likely perpetrators of the effort.
Intelligence officials indicated that the assessment linking Russians to the video is based on available information to the IC and past activities of Russian influence actors. However, they did not provide further details on the matter.
In addition to the video in question, Russian actors have also produced another video falsely accusing a person associated with the Democrat presidential ticket of taking a bribe. The officials warned that these activities are part of Moscow’s broader campaign to undermine the integrity of U.S. elections and create divisions among Americans.
Furthermore, Russian operations have included the creation of fake news websites and social media accounts impersonating U.S. citizens to disseminate false information. Similar efforts have been observed from other countries like Iran and China, as reported by the FBI and other U.S. agencies.
Cait Conley, a senior adviser at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, emphasized the importance of vigilance in protecting the democratic process from foreign threats. She highlighted the collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal governments to secure the nation’s election infrastructure and ensure the integrity of the voting process.
Despite the attempts of foreign adversaries to undermine confidence in the electoral system, Americans are encouraged to trust that their votes will be accurately counted. It is crucial for all citizens to remain informed and aware of potential disinformation campaigns orchestrated by foreign actors.
