After Orchestrating Telegram Takedown in France, Feds Begin Direct Attack on First Amendment in U.S.: DOJ Indicts Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool’s ISP for “Russian Collusion”
In a move that has raised significant concerns about First Amendment rights, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed a controversial indictment accusing a prominent Tennessee-based media company of involvement in a Russian influence operation. The indictment, revealed Wednesday, alleges that the company, widely identified as Tenet Media, was covertly funded and directed by Russian nationals to spread pro-Kremlin propaganda across U.S. social media platforms.
Tenet Media, which describes itself as a network for “fearless voices” focusing on Western political and cultural issues, features high-profile conservative commentators such as Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen. The DOJ’s indictment claims that two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, orchestrated a scheme to infiltrate U.S. media by funneling nearly $10 million through a network of foreign shell companies to finance Tenet Media.
The DOJ’s press release emphasizes that Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, operating under multiple fake identities, used their financial and editorial influence to promote narratives that allegedly align with the goals of the Russian government and its state-funded media outlet, RT. According to the indictment, the Russian operatives were involved in editing and directing content posted by Tenet Media on platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Since its inception in November 2023, the company has reportedly posted nearly 2,000 videos, garnering over 16 million views on YouTube alone.
The indictment accuses Tenet Media of disseminating content that exacerbates domestic divisions on sensitive issues like immigration and inflation, purportedly to further Russia’s agenda of sowing discord in the United States. Notably, the indictment claims that Tenet Media did not disclose its foreign funding or register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal, as required by law.
Critics argue that the DOJ’s actions against Tenet Media and its associated commentators represent a troubling precedent for governmental overreach into free speech and press freedom. Supporters of the indictment, however, contend that it is a necessary step to combat foreign interference and safeguard the integrity of American media and democracy.
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
