Fake Tennessee GOP Twitter account highlighted in indictment of 13 Russians

Jake Lowary, USA TODAY NETWORK - TennesseePublished 12:54 p.m. CT Feb. 16, 2018 | Updated 1:17 p.m. CT Feb. 16, 2018

A defunct Twitter account masquerading as the Tennessee Republican Party is highlighted in a new federal indictment Michael Schwab




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A defunct Twitter account masquerading as the Tennessee Republican Party is highlighted in a new federal indictment of 13 Russian nationals and a Kremlin-linked internet firm on Friday for attempting to meddle in the U.S. elections.

The @TEN_GOP, later linked to the Russians, "falsely claimed to be controlled by a U.S. state political party," the indictment reads, which notes over time the account attracted more than 100,000 followers.

► More: Twitter suspends fake Tennessee GOP account later linked to Russian 'troll farm'
► More: Federal lawmakers, Twitter acknowledge spoof Tennessee GOP accounts were Russian
The account was used in an effort in August 2016 to "promote allegations of voter fraud by the Democratic Party through their fictitious U.S. groups and personas on social media," the indictment alleges.

The nation’s top spies told Congress Tuesday that Russia has taken steps to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections and plans to harness an arsenal of propaganda, social media, false personas, other means of influence to try to meddle. Time


Twitter suspended the account after it became aware it was linked to a Russian "troll farm." Federal lawmakers last year also acknowledged the account was linked to Russian sources.
The account had long drawn criticism from the Tennessee Republican Party, which repeatedly told Twitter that the account as fake and not associated with the party.

More: Twitter suspends fake Tennessee GOP account later linked to Russian 'troll farm'

Special counsel Robert Mueller filed the charges for what he called a wide-ranging effort to undermine the 2016 presidential election, including by "supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump."

The charges include violations of campaign finance laws, conspiracy and identity theft and failing to register as agents of a foreign government.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/new...ans/345835002/