Elections
Voice Of America Under Investigation For Election Interference After Promoting A Pro-Biden Political Ad
The agency overseeing U.S. foreign broadcasting services announced Thursday that it has launched an investigation into Voice of America – a major multi-media agency with extensive global reach – after it promoted a video that “can only be described as an apparent election advertisement for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee” former Vice President Joe Biden.
CEO Michael Pack, with the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) announced the investigation into Voice of America [VOA] shortly after SaraACarter.com first reported the political ad for Biden promoted by the VOA’s Urdu services on all their multi-media platforms. Moreover, the video was branded with VOA logos throughout and at the end of the two minute ad.
Pack stated in a press release; that the content produced by VOA contractors violated the ” VOA Charter, VOA’s Best Practices Guide, VOA’s Journalistic Code, and agency standards and principles, and, further, might have constituted U.S. election interference and a violation of federal law.”
The press release notes that “there is significant concern that the VOA content targeted potential voters in the forthcoming U.S. presidential election.”
It goes on to state that an English-language translation of the revised VOA Urdu content says, “the number of Muslim voters in several key U.S. states could play a significant role in the upcoming presidential election. In the 2016 election, President Trump won Michigan with less than 11,000 votes. The number of Muslim voters in this state is 1.5 million.”
VOA, which was established in 1942, is considered the premiere U.S. agency for global media outreach. In fact, it is a U.S. government tax payer funded international broadcast entity with an annual budget of roughly $234.7 million. The agency has employees roughly 1,078 people, as well as hundreds of foreign contractors. The Biden political ad presents a possible serious Hatch Act violation.
According to a story in Politico, Thursday the VOA is now considering suspending the four contractors involved in producing and promoting the video for VOA Urdu. The Biden ad video was subsequently removed by VOA after it was discovered. However, it had already been placed on all multi-media platforms, with Urdu translation, and essentially was made available to target Muslim audiences around the world.
“USAGM staff members who attempt to influence American elections will be held accountable,” said Pack in the press release. “Our networks comprise the U.S.’s megaphone to the world, and this invaluable instrument is generously funded by the American people. To safeguard our agency’s reputation and the integrity of our content, I will continue to ensure that violations of journalistic standards and principles are dealt with swiftly and fairly. This investigation – and, indeed, every action that I have taken since starting my tenure last month – has been to repair USAGM so that, once again, U.S. government international broadcasting advances the American national interest.”
He also noted in a recent Tweet that the “investigation- and, indeed, every action that I have taken since starting my tenure last month – has been to repair @USAGMgov so that, once again, U.S. government international broadcasting advances the American national interest.”
The VOA Biden political ad not only reached American voters, but its Urdu platform is viewed by audiences in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. The video, which aired on or about July 22, was also posted on VOA’s website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram platforms. As previously reported by this website, Biden’s speech was lifted from an online event he participated in for Emgage Action’s “Million Muslim Votes”
According to Emgage Action’s website, it is a 501c(4) that is seeking “to mobilize American Muslims” and Biden urged the group of Muslim voters to vote for him in November.
“We all have the same root here, in terms of our fundamental basic beliefs…Your voice is your vote, your vote is your voice,” Biden is saying in the video.
“I’ll be a president that seeks out and incorporates and listens to the ideas and concerns of Muslim Americans on everyday issues that matter most to our communities,” he says. “That will include having Muslim American voices as part of my administration.”
The press release emphasized that the “VOA-branded video promoted a voter mobilization campaign, “Million Muslim Votes,” and highlighted Biden making election promises to the Muslim-American community. Among other individuals, Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan made appearances in the video.”
What was anticipated to take up to two weeks has concluded in only three days. 12 jurors have been chosen for the trial against former President Donald Trump, who has been charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges surround alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts, stating the trial is “political persecution.” The former president is expected to testify during his trial, and Fox News has published a list with what is known of the individuals:
Juror #1 and the foreperson: lives in New York City but is originally from Ireland. He has no children and enjoys doing anything outdoorsy. He gets his news from the New York Times, Daily Mail, Fox News and MSNBC.
When asked by Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche if he was aware Trump is charged in other cases and jurisdictions, and how that affects him, the man said, “I don’t have an opinion.”
Juror #2 Is a man who said he follows Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen on “X,” formerly known as Twitter, as well as other “right wing” accounts, including former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway.
The reason, he said, he follows those figures was so he could be plugged in to “anything that might move the markets I might need to know about.”
When asked if he would unfollow Cohen, as he may be a witness in the trial, the man said: “absolutely.”
The man also said he has “not seen any evidence” relating to the case.
“I will try to keep an open mind,” he said.
Responding to questions from Trump lawyer Susan Necheles about his feelings about the former president, the man said that Trump has done some good for the country.
“It’s ambivalent,” he said. “It goes both ways.”
The first person who was labeled juror #2 was excused Thursday morning after saying she could not be a fair juror.
Juror #3 is a young to middle-aged Asian man who lives in Manhattan. The man said he grew up in Oregon and has been an attorney for five years practicing corporate law. The man said he enjoys hiking and running, and gets his news from The New York Times and Google.
Juror #4 is originally from California, but has lived in New York City for 15 years. The man said he has been a security engineer for 25 years and holds a high school diploma, with some college education.
The man is married with three children. His wife is a teacher.
During his spare time, he enjoys being with his children, woodworking, and metal working.
The man said he has served on a jury before — on both a grand jury and a jury in a criminal trial.
The man said he gets his news from “a smattering” of news sources. As for social media, he said he doesn’t use it.
The man said he has a relative who works in finance and brothers-in-law that work as lawyers.
The man said he has no feelings about how Trump is being treated in this case.
The person who was first labeled as Juror #4 was excused Thursday morning after it was revealed that he had been previously arrested in Westchester, N.Y., for tearing down right-wing political advertisements.
Juror #5 is young and a New York native who has been a teacher of English Language Arts for eight years.
The woman was previously a caseworker at a juvenile detention center. She said she has a masters’ degree in education.
“I’m creative at heart,” she said, adding that she enjoys photography.
The woman said that she is not married and does not have children. Her mother was an administrative aide for a police department, and her godfather was a homicide detective.
The woman said she gets her news from Google and TikTok.
She was asked if Trump chose not to testify, whether she would hold that against him.
“I won’t hold that against him,” she said.
She explained that she has friends who have strong opinions on the former president but said she is not a political person and tries to avoid political conversations.
She did say, however, that she appreciates Trump’s candor.
“President Trump speaks his mind, and I’d rather that than someone who’s in office who you don’t know what they’re thinking,” she said.
When jurors were asked if they were aware Trump was charged in other cases than Bragg’s, most jurors were. However, juror #5 raised her hand to indicate that she was learning of additional charges for the first time.
Juror #6 is a young woman who lives in Manhattan. She described herself as a New Yorker. The woman is a software engineer and said she likes to dance.
Juror #7 is originally from North Carolina and works as an attorney and civil litigator.
The man said he is married with two children, and his wife works in risk management for a bank. He said he enjoys spending time outdoors and with his family.
The man said he gets his news from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post and the Washington Post.
When asked if his career as a lawyer would impact his ability to serve fair and impartially, or whether his opinions would get in his way, the man said that he does have “political views as to the Trump presidency” and said there were likely Trump administration policies he disagreed with.
“I don’t know the man and I don’t have any opinions about him personally,” he said.
As for his career as a lawyer, he said he does not have any opinions about Trump’s character.
“I certainly follow the news,” he said. “I’m aware there are other lawsuits out there. But I’m not sure that I know anyone’s character.”
Juror #8 has been selected. Information on this juror is not yet available.
Juror #9 is a woman who lives in Manhattan. She is originally from New Jersey and works as a speech therapist.
The woman is not married and does not have children. She said she likes to spend time with friends, go to restaurants, and go on walks.
The woman said she has never served on a jury before, and does not watch the news or follow current events too closely. The woman said she did, though, have email subscriptions to CNN and The New York Times. She said she follows social media accounts, listens to podcasts, and enjoys reality television.
The woman said she does not listen to talk radio.
The woman said she can be fair and impartial. She said she does have opinions about Trump, but said she believes she can put them aside and be fair and impartial.
Juror #10 is a man who lives in Manhattan. He was born and raised in Ohio and works in commerce for a large company. The man has a college degree.
The man said he is not married and has no children, but lives with another adult who works in accounting.
The man said he enjoys being outdoors and loves animals.
The man said he does not really follow the news, but listens to podcasts on behavioral psychology.
The man said he has no strong opinions on how Trump is treated in this case.
Juror #11 has been selected. Information on this juror was not immediately available.
Juror #12 has been selected. Information on this juror was not immediately available.
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