Friday, September 20, 2024

Shoe on the other foot

“Malicious cyber actors” from Iran dangled sensitive material about former President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign in front of President Joe Biden’s campaign team, according to U.S. authorities.

Three federal agencies said Wednesday that the “stolen, non-public” information was emailed to journalists as well as individuals “associated with the Biden campaign.” The operation took place over June and July this year, before the president suspended his White House bid.

“There is currently no information indicating those recipients replied,” read a joint statement from the FBI, CISA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

[...]

A spokesperson for the Harris campaign acknowledged to CNN that “a few individuals were targeted on their personal emails” with material that appeared to be “a spam or phishing attempt.” The campaign has cooperated with law enforcement as it investigated the matter.

“We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections including this unwelcome and unacceptable malicious activity,” the spokesperson added.

[...]

The Trump campaign said in a statement to CNN that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “must come clean on whether they used the hacked material,” claiming the operation marks “further proof the Iranians are actively interfering in the election” to help the Democratic Party.

“What did they know and when did they know it?” a spokeswoman asked the BBC.

In a late-night all-caps Truth Social post, Trump accused Harris and her campaign of “illegally spying” on him. “To be known as the Iran, Iran, Iran case!” he fumed. “Will Kamala resign in disgrace from politics? Will the Communist Left pick a new candidate to replace her?”

  Daily Beast
Hang on...
Donald Trump has said he would accept damaging information on his opponent during the 2020 election campaign, even if it came from a foreign government.

In an interview with broadcaster ABC News, the president denied this would count as meddling in an election.

"They have information - I think I'd take it," he said.

  BBC


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