Disinformation Inc: Watchdog launches sweeping investigation into conservative blacklists
Gabe Kaminsky
Video Embed
This is part of a Washington Examiner investigative series on self-styled “disinformation” tracking groups that are blacklisting and trying to defund conservative media outlets. Here is where you can read stories in the series.
EXCLUSIVE — A watchdog group has launched a sweeping records investigation in order to obtain critical information in connection to the United States government bankrolling a “disinformation” tracking group that is blacklisting conservative news websites, the Washington Examiner learned.
Protect the Public’s Trust filed seven Freedom of Information Act requests on Wednesday to the State Department and a nonprofit group it supports called the National Endowment for Democracy, as well as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The Washington Examiner previously reported that the NED, as well as the State Department-backed Global Engagement Center, had granted $665,000 combined to the Global Disinformation Index between 2020 and 2021.
“The last thing the American public should expect is that their taxes would end up in the hands of those who would trample their rights,” said PPT Director Michael Chamberlain. “Yet the State Department, which exists to represent Americans’ interests abroad, and other government agencies have been handing out money to organizations that have apparently been targeting American media outlets based upon their political views.”
The State Department has continued to come under fire from Republican lawmakers and watchdogs for its ties to GDI, a British group with two affiliated U.S. nonprofit organizations. GDI compiles a “dynamic exclusion list” said to include 2,000 websites that it claims as the foremost peddlers of alleged disinformation — and it feeds it to advertising companies.
The Washington Examiner is one outlet on this list. GDI has said that the “worst” offenders for disinformation are the American Spectator, Newsmax, the Federalist, the American Conservative, One America News, the Blaze, the Daily Wire, RealClearPolitics, Reason, and the New York Post.
“They know they can’t say we’re wrong, only that we’re biased and ‘high-risk,’ so we will wear that designation as a badge of honor,” Emile Doak, executive director of the American Conservative, previously told the Washington Examiner.
In 2021, the Global Engagement Center granted $100,000 to GDI as part of the U.S.-Paris Tech Challenge, which sought “to advance the development of promising and innovative technologies against disinformation and propaganda” overseas. The funds were first provided to Park Advisors, an investment group that fights “disinformation, terrorism, violent extremism, [and] hate speech,” according to the State Department.
The watchdog is seeking communications from June 2020 through September 2021 between top GEC officials about GDI, as well as other “disinformation” trackers, such as DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, NewsGuard, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The officials PPT singled out included GEC’s special envoy and coordinator James Rubin, deputy coordinator Leah Bray, technology engagements director Patricia Watts, and any chiefs of staff.
PPT is also requesting correspondence between GEC officials with Atlantic Council personnel, as well as GDI personnel, such as CEO Clare Melford. The council partnered with the State Department for the U.S.-Paris Tech Challenge, the Washington Examiner reported.
iFrame Object
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also a partner for the challenge, according to the Atlantic Council. Therefore, PPT seeks communications between 24 different CISA personnel, including ex-Director Christopher Krebs, with GDI and Atlantic Council personnel.
“Though the agencies can deny they are funding this activity, money is fungible, and these organizations can claim the government’s stamp of approval for their operations,” Chamberlain added. “This represents yet another putrid layer of the vast censorship apparatus.”
In terms of NED, the watchdog is asking for any records related to the AN Foundation, which is GDI’s U.S. nonprofit group that has received grants. PPT also wants records related to Strengthening Information Integrity in the Digital Space, an NED project through which money was disbursed to the Global Disinformation Index.
iFrame Object
The Washington Examiner reported on Monday that NED said it would no longer fund GDI. The NED notably received $300 million in taxpayer funds in 2021, documents show.
“Recently, we became aware that one of our grantees, the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was engaged in an initiative, funded by a different donor, that focused on specific U.S. media outlets,” the group said in a Monday statement. “We recognize the important work GDI has done with NED support in other countries to help preserve the integrity of the information space and counter authoritarian influence.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“However, given our commitment to avoid the perception that NED is engaged in any work domestically, directly or indirectly, we will no longer provide financial support to GDI,” the NED added.
The NED declined to comment on the latest public records requests. The State Department and CISA have been reached out to for comment.