The U.S. government Wednesday night concluded that Iran and Russia have taken “specific actions to influence public opinion” in the 2020 presidential election, suggesting Iran may be behind the threatening emails to Florida voters this week claiming to be affiliated with the Proud Boys.
“We have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran, and separately, by Russia. This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion, sow chaos and undermine your confidence in American democracy,” Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said in a nationally televised press conference.
Iran has been sending “spoofed” emails to registered voters and has distributed videos that imply individuals can cast fraudulent ballots, including while abroad, Ratcliffe said. The emails were designed to incite social unrest and hurt President Donald Trump, he said.
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