Liberal Billionaire Apologizes for Funding Russian Bot ‘False Flag’ – but Questions Remain Unanswered

By The Daily Caller. Billionaire Reid Hoffman apologized Wednesday for funding an effort to dupe Alabama voters into believing Russian bots were fueling Republican Roy Moore’s failed senatorial bid. But he left crucial questions unanswered.

His statement left several important facts about the so-called experiment unaddressed, including a detailed accounting of everyone involved in the caper, as well who crafted and executed the campaign. The effort was the subject of a closed-door presentation in Washington, D.C., to a group of liberal technology experts, The Washington Post reported, citing anonymous sources.

“I find the tactics that have been recently reported highly disturbing,” Hoffman said in his statement. “For that reason, I am embarrassed by my failure to track AET — the organization I did support — more diligently as it made its own decisions to perhaps fund projects that I would reject.”

The Hoffman-financed group allegedly used Facebook and Twitter to undermine support for Moore and boost Democrat Doug Jones, who narrowly won the race. Hoffman referred to a group he funded, American Engagement Technologies (AET), as being involved in the effort. . .

Hoffman, like Jones, who barely beat Moore, supports any investigations into the matter. “I proudly support aggressive campaigning – both on the ground and digitally – and that is why we’ve funded organizations that help expand civic engagement,” the Silicon Valley billionaire said, adding that the funding was made on the promise that the organization would use the money to combat “fake news and bot armies.” (Read more from “Liberal Billionaire Apologizes for Funding Russian Bot ‘False Flag’ – but Questions Remain Unanswered” HERE)

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Reid Hoffman Apologizes for Funding a Group That Allegedly Spread Misinformation in Alabama Senate Race

By CNBC. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman apologized Wednesday for funding a group that allegedly had a hand in spreading misinformation during the 2017 Alabama Senate race.

In a post on his Medium blog, Hoffman said he was not aware of the tactics alleged in the New York Times article that called out his ties to American Engagement Technologies. . .

The project only had a budget of $100,000, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by the Times. A person close to the matter told the Washington Post that Hoffman invested $750,000 in AET.

“I categorically disavow the use of misinformation to sway an election,” Hoffman wrote in the Medium post. “In fact, I have deliberately funded multiple organizations trying to re-establish civic, truth-focused discourse in the US. I would not have knowingly funded a project planning to use such tactics, and would have refused to invest in any organization that I knew might conduct such a project.” (Read more from “Reid Hoffman Apologizes for Funding a Group That Allegedly Spread Misinformation in Alabama Senate Race” HERE)

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