Big steps have been taken by special counsel Robert Mueller‘s Russia probe to prove that there was a concentrated effort by foreign agents to influence the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election.
According to CNBC, 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted by a grand jury for alleged interference in the 2016 election.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office said Friday that a grand jury indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for alleged interference in the 2016 presidential elections, during which they boosted the candidacy of Donald Trump.
The indictment says that the defendants by early to mid-2016 were “supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump … and disparaging Hillary Clinton.”
Within the indictment, a company which went by the Internet Research Company LLC, “sought, in part, to conduct what it called ‘information warfare against the United States of America’ through fictitious U.S. personas on social media platforms and other Internet-based media.” Furthermore the indictment states, “By in or around May 2014, the organization’s strategy included interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, with the stated goal of “spread[ing] distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general.”
Additionally three of the 13 defendants are also being charged with wire and bank fraud.
Meanwhile there’s been no comment from Donald Trump and the White House who have vehemently denied any sort of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, something the President has often times referred to as a ‘hoax’ or ‘fake news’.
This story is still developing.
UPDATE: Russian nationals allegedly sought out and hired unknowing United State’s citizens to help in their efforts. This included organizing rallies and helping spread misinformation.
There is however no indication that the meddling effected the overall outcome of the 2016 election.
