America First Legal Profile picture
May 24, 2023 • 38 tweets • 14 min read • Read on X
/1🚨BREAKING — America First Legal released documents obtained from a FOIA lawsuit against the Department of State, exposing how the Global Engagement Center carries out state propaganda through private media organizations.

Disturbing thread below ⤵️
/2 The GEC routinely coordinates with a global cartel of “independent” “fact-checkers” led by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies (which operates Politifact) and members of its International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).
/3 IFCN received its initial funding from the Department of State-funded National Endowment for Democracy, the Omidyar Network, Google, Facebook, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. ImageImage
/4 Members of this vast cartel range from independent foreign journalists to professional fact-checkers to American mainstream media organizations like the Associated Press and USA Today.

Notably, Poynter’s IFCN received a 2021 Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Image
/5 The GEC regularly works with IFCN on targeted campaigns.

For example, the GEC worked closely with Baybars Orsek, Poynter’s director of international programming, to set up an IFCN partner in Tunisia.

The “GEC-funded project” would work on “achieving two main objectives: ImageImage
/6 The GEC also funded a grant through the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) on “Empowering Fact-Checking in the Global South,” and it enlisted Baybars Orsek and Alanna Dvorak, Poynter’s International Training Manager, for a potential “mentorship through Poynter/IFCN”… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
/7 In particular, the GEC aimed to ensure that two specific media organizations in Tunisia would “absorb the fact-checking skills” to censor disfavored narratives from the news. Image
/8 Another email conversation later shows a GEC official thanking the IFCN International Training Manager for “speaking with AfricaCheck about [her] work in Tunisia.” Image
/9 AfricaCheck is a fact-checking organization, substantially funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Google News Initiative, the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, the IFCN, the Omidyar Network, the Department of State, and earned income through Facebook.
/10 Another email shows the IFCN soliciting the GEC to do additional programming in Egypt (and presumably with additional American taxpayer funding). Image
/11 When threatened, they join together to protect their mutual interests. ImageImageImage
/12 On the other hand, they exclude other media organizations with whom they disagree…keep reading.
/13 For example David Mikkelson of @snopes attempted to discredit the @DailyCaller to kick them out of their Google Groups on “Combating Fake News: The Science of Misinformation,” even though another member raised the point that Daily Caller had the same “source-credibility”… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… ImageImage
/14 The work of the international fact-checking cartel might be admirable if it actually lived up to its “commitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness,” but their methods appear strongly biased towards the promotion of State-approved talking points. ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/know-more/the-…
/15 For example, a professional fact-checker at PolitiFact, which is operated by the Poynter Institute, appeared to rely on the GEC to debunk a “claim [that] stems from the letter that GOP senators wrote to the Biden Administration,” even though the GEC was under the Biden Admin. Image
/16 Next, we further uncovered that news outlets that had been formerly respected for critical investigative journalism are now mere mouthpieces for state media, and their journalists are eagerly willing to spread propaganda on behalf of the GEC.
/17 @washingtonpost readily jumped into the conversation to discredit the @nypost reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop.
/18 On October 14, 2020, the New York Post published the now-infamous story based on a laptop detailing how Hunter Biden used the position and influence of his father for personal gain and with the apparent awareness of now-President Biden…
/19 On the same day, Ellen Nakashima, a national security reporter with the Washington Post “covering election security,” reached out to the GEC requesting a call on “more declassified Russian disinformation.” Image
/20 October 15, 2020, Ellen Nakashima published an article stating, “The Washington Post was unable to verify the authenticity of the alleged communications,” while alluding to the likelihood that the Hunter Biden story was the product of a “Russian intelligence operation.” ImageImage
/21 On October 16, 2020, Ellen Nakashima sent another email to the GEC to inquire about “upcoming releases by the GEC.” Image
/22 On October 21, 2020, less than two weeks before election day, Ellen Nakashima published an article in the Washington Post sounding the alarm on “Russian interference” in the 2020 election cycle. Image
/23 Nakashima also highlighted numerous federal agency lines of effort to combat “Russian interference,” including the GEC’s August 2020 report exposing websites and organizations as Russian sites spreading disinformation. Image
/24 The GEC report referenced in Ellen Nakashima’s article, however, turned out to be “contradictory” according to @mtaibbi in Twitter Files #17, which detailed how the GEC would send Twitter lists of hundreds of accounts it suspected to be “foreign” disinformation…
/25 …even though the lists “included multiple Western government accounts and at least three CNN employees based abroad.”
/26 Mainstream media outlets eagerly rely on the GEC as an authoritative source based on its credibility and presumed access to accurate intelligence.
/27 As the fact-check by PolitiFact above demonstrates, however, this presents the risk that critical investigative journalists become nothing more than state media mouthpieces…
/28 On January 19, 2021, one day before the Biden Adm officially began, a Global Engagement Center Public Affairs Officer attempted to enlist Michael Gordon of the @WSJ to publish a story promoting the GEC’s talking points on Russian disinformation and COVID-19 vaccines. ImageImage
/29 Meanwhile, on February 2, 2021, New York Times reporter Julian Barnes obtains an introduction to the GEC through his National Security Agency (NSA) contact for his story on “Russian anti-vax disinformation.” Image
/30 On February 4, 2021, with another potential outlet seemingly interested in writing a story on the topic of interest, the GEC shared its talking points with the @nytimes Image
/31 By February 12, 2021, the GEC Deputy Spokesperson, J.T. Ice, warned Michael Gordon that it will pitch the story to another outlet if the @WSJ didn’t publish the story “imminently.” Image
/32 Finally, on March 7, 2021, the Wall Street Journal published the story the GEC wanted. wsj.com/articles/russi… ImageImage
/33 Disappointingly for the New York Times reporter, the Wall Street Journal was finally able to run with the story. Image
/34 One day later, Deirdre Shesgreen with @USATODAY eagerly reached out to the GEC to learn more about the Wall Street Journal’s story. Image
/35 The GEC’s financial support of these media organizations also implicates the supposed “independence” of their reporting…read on.
/36 The GEC “Information Access Fund” appears to pay for the licensing of free New York Times content—in English and Mandarin—in newsrooms across the Pacific Islands. Image
/37 The Associated Press also appears to rely on funding from the Department of State in the Pacific Islands. Image
/38 We will continue to expose this influence operation to the American people. Read the full production here:
aflegal.org/america-first-…

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More from @America1stLegal

Sep 29
🚨EXPOSED — Biden’s HHS funneled millions to Washington University in St. Louis to embed “diversity, equity, and inclusion” into medicine and clinical research.

Yes, your tax dollars are bankrolling racial discrimination and ideological experiments.

Here’s the proof…🧵 Image
/2 Biden’s HHS gave WashU $5 million to run a nationwide “Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program” to “promote and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level.”

It mandates DEI, builds a “pipeline program” to recruit based on identity, and embeds “diversity” into selection, mentoring, and leadership.

This is taxpayer-funded discrimination — reorienting the medical workforce around ideology instead of merit.Image
/3 Biden’s HHS gave WashU $3.4 million to “increase diversity, equity, and inclusion” in Alzheimer’s research through 2026.

The project builds a “culturally appropriate” registry led by “diverse researchers” to recruit participants by race, and frames disparities as products of “systemic and systematic racism,” “ethnoracial factors,” and “classism.”

Our tax dollars should fund treatments — not racial ideology in medical research.Image
Read 6 tweets
Sep 26
🏛️⚖️ NEW — The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has AFFIRMED the President’s Article II authority to remove appointed officials.

AFL filed an amicus brief in this case defending that presidential power. Image
/2 AFL, with Boyden Gray PLLC and Givens Purley LLP, filed an amicus brief in Robert P. Storch v. Pete Hegseth supporting former U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Eric J. Soskin.

Soskin was removed by President Trump — yet defended presidential removal power even in his own case.
/3 Eric Soskin is a longtime practicing constitutional lawyer with decades of experience in public service, including in the U.S. Department of Justice and as Inspector General of the Department of Transportation.
Read 9 tweets
Sep 18
🏛️📄NEW SCOTUS BRIEF —

AFL filed an amicus brief on behalf of six U.S. Senators led by @SenMikeLee urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rein in the Fifth Circuit’s blatant defiance of federal law and defend federal employees and contractors from hostile state lawsuits. Image
/2 This case, Chevron v. Plaquemines Parish, deals with whether federal employees and contractors can transfer court cases into federal court when the underlying facts relate to their federal responsibilities.
/3 It’s simple: to keep America safe, federal officers must know they won’t be dragged into hostile state courts for carrying out their federal duties.

Because federal law enforcement often relies on private partners, contractors must also have this protection.
Read 12 tweets
Sep 5
🚨BREAKING — AFL is taking Alvin Bragg back to court.

We just filed a new petition in the New York Supreme Court to EXPOSE his politically motivated prosecution of President Trump.

🧵👇 Image
/2 Last year, AFL filed a lawsuit against District Attorney Alvin Bragg over records requested from his office related to the prosecution of President Trump.

Bragg’s office has refused to provide the records and issued sweeping exemptions to keep the truth hidden.
/3 AFL requested the following records from Bragg’s office:

đź“„ Communications with the Biden-Harris campaign, the DNC, Color of Change, and CREW

📄 Documents and communications about fundraising tied to President Trump’s prosecution

📄 Documents and communications related to Alvin Bragg’s campaign and fundraising

📄 Communications with Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter and her political firm

📅 Alvin Bragg’s calendars
Read 8 tweets
Aug 29
🚨BREAKING — AFL just sued the FDA for allegedly COVERING UP Biden-era records on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children.

The FDA KNEW these drugs increase depression and suicide risks — and STILL pushed them on kids.

It’s been a year.

Parents deserve answers. Image
/2 On August 5, 2024, AFL filed a FOIA request for FDA records on off-label use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children.

The FDA acknowledged receipt and promised action.

Then, it went silent.
/3 The law gives agencies 20 days — plus an additional 10 days, if needed — to respond.

389 days later: no records, no answers, no transparency.

This isn’t bureaucratic delay — it’s lawlessness.
Read 9 tweets
Aug 28
🚨BREAKING — AFL has filed a federal lawsuit against Shell USA, Inc. for allegedly orchestrating a racially discriminatory reorganization targeting white employees.

This is a major fight against DEI mandates gone wrong. Image
/2 The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, claims Shell’s radical diversity, equity, and inclusion policies violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Experienced security professionals with top credentials were pushed out to meet “diversity” quotas.
/3 AFL’s clients — loyal, high-performing employees — were forced to reapply for their own jobs, undergo in-person assessments, and compete against less qualified candidates just to “diversify” the workforce.

This isn’t fairness — it’s discrimination.
Read 9 tweets

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