⬆️ #Ionov talked with #Russian counterintelligence about efforts to elect another, unnamed political candidate in #Florida.
In 2022, #FBI raided homes & offices connected to #African People’s Socialist Party & #Uhuru Movement.
#Hess unsuccessfully urged a judge to dismiss charges saying, “This would blow a hole in 1st Amendment.”
“This is a prosecution of critics of #US govt [because] they somehow have a relationship with #Russians"
And that brings us full circle to #Trump and his defense
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⬆️ #Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent. She, was accused of infiltrating the National Rifle Association #NRA to forge ties with conservatives ahead of #Trump’s election in 2016.
In 2015, #Yeshitela — founder of the #African People’s Socialist Party — traveled to Russia and entered into a partnership with #Ionov.
Ionov is accused of giving directions to the Americans to publish Russian disinfo, which included a 2015 #UN petition “on #genocide of African people in US”
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⬆️ #Florida is the epicenter of #Russia's disinfo in #US
#JesseNevel, #PennyHess and #OmaliYeshitela, all Americans, are charged with conspiring to act as illegal agents of the #Russian government within the #US
A 2023 indictment says a Russian named #AleksandrIonov recruited them and others to create #dissension in the United States and promote #secessionist ideologies
#Ionov directed an unsuccessful 2019 political campaign in Florida & raised money for Maria #Butina
Ramesh #NotGoingBack