“Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Debunks Viral Voter Fraud Video, Calls for Action Against Election Disinformation”
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Thursday addressed the spread of election disinformation, following the circulation of a viral video that claimed to show illegal voting in the state. The video, which surfaced on the social media platform X, showed an individual alleged to be a Haitian immigrant boasting about casting multiple votes for Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election.
The post quickly gained traction, racking up over half a million views before it was deleted. Despite its removal, the video continued to circulate on social media platforms, with users presenting it as supposed proof of voter fraud in Georgia.
Raffensperger Denounces the Video as Fake.
Raffensperger, who is Georgia’s top election official, responded swiftly, labeling the video as “obviously fake” and designed to undermine confidence in the state’s voting process. He emphasized that both state and federal authorities are actively working to address the disinformation.
“Earlier today, our office became aware of a video purporting to show a Haitian immigrant with multiple Georgia IDs claiming to have voted multiple times,” Raffensperger said in a formal statement. “This is false and represents a clear case of targeted disinformation.”
Concerns About Foreign Interference.
Raffensperger suggested that the video could be the product of foreign meddling, possibly originating from Russian troll farms. He noted that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is currently investigating the video’s source.
“In the meantime, we urge Elon Musk and other social media platform leaders to take this down. It’s clearly fake and part of a broader disinformation effort, likely produced by Russian troll farms,” Raffensperger said.
Social Media Reaction and Criticism.
While many condemned the video as fake, some prominent figures on social media shared it, raising questions about its content. Amy Kremer, a member of the Republican National Committee, shared the video on X, asking how the individual featured in the clip was able to obtain multiple IDs and suggesting that the actions described in the video were illegal.
Kremer’s post was met with sharp criticism from Gabriel Sterling, the Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, who blasted those spreading the video for fueling disinformation.
“No responsible person would retweet this ridiculously obvious lie and disinformation,” Sterling said. “Those doing so are aiding America’s enemies and eroding our nation’s security.”
A Warning Against Division.
Raffensperger warned that foreign adversaries might be using disinformation to sow division among Americans. He called for unity and vigilance in the face of such threats.
“As Americans, we must not let our enemies use lies to divide us or undermine our faith in our institutions—or in each other,” Raffensperger said.
Record Early Voting Turnout.
Amid the controversy, Georgia’s early voting numbers have reached unprecedented levels. Over half of the state’s voters have already cast their ballots, breaking records previously set in the 2020 election cycle. This surge in early voting comes as tensions remain high over election integrity and security in the battleground state.
CISA Investigation Underway.
As the investigation into the origins of the video continues, former CISA director Chris Krebs added his voice to those decrying the disinformation campaign. Krebs pointed to Russian interference, saying, “Expect a deluge of pure nonsense like this in the next several weeks.”
CISA has not yet released its findings, but efforts are being made to combat the spread of disinformation and ensure that social media platforms act swiftly to remove fake content.
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