Hillary Clinton says Americans who, whether knowingly or not, share political misinformation should face potential civil – or even criminal – legal consequences.
The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate made that comment during an appearance on Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC show on Monday night, after the host asked Clinton whether the U.S. government is taking foreign attempts to spread propaganda “seriously enough.” The question was tied to the Justice Department’s recent indictment of two RT employees who covertly funded right-leaning commentators.
“I also think are Americans who are engaged in this kind of propaganda, and whether they should civilly, or even in some cases criminally charged, is something that would be a better deterrent,” Clinton told Maddow. “Because the Russians are unlikely, except in a very few cases, to stand trial in the United States.”
Clinton added:
“We need to uncover all of the connections. You can vote however you want, but we are not going to let adversaries — whether it is Russia, China, Iran or anybody else — basically try to influence Americans as to how we should vote in picking our leaders.”
The Justice Department claimed RT spent $10 million “to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences.” The indictment said RT paid up to $400,000 for political commentators to make videos; those commentators, according to the indictment, were duped and unaware their paychecks were coming from Russia.
“They are using Americans, both those who are witting and willing – and those who are unwitting and are just so surprised to get $400,000 a week or $100,000 a podcast to parrot Kremlin propaganda,” Clinton said.
In the same interview with Maddow, Clinton called former President Donald Trump a “danger to our country and the world.” She also said she’s optimistic American voters will reject his “demagoguery” and “what he represents” on election day.
“He has said what he wants to do — he and his allies with Project 2025,” Clinton said. “His desire to be a dictator, at least on Day 1, all of that is in the public record.”
Trump, at last week’s debate with Kamala Harris and at his recent rallies, has denied any connection to Project 2025.
“I have nothing to do with Project 2025,” Trump said last week. “I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it purposely. I’m not going to read it.”
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