February 22, 2020

Trump Taunts Nevada Democratic Primary About Russian Meddling

“Be careful of Russia, Russia, Russia,” he tweeted.

Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images via ZUMA

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The Nevada Democratic caucus is today, and President Donald Trump spent his morning on Twitter, suggesting that Democrats “be careful of Russia, Russia, Russia.”

There is a bit to unpack here.

First, there’s Trump’s history of dismissing concerns about Russian interference. Faced with evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Trump has claimed  it was actually the work of a deep state conspiracy. And when he was briefed recently about what Russia plans for the 2020 election—which includes disrupting the Democratic primaries and general election to undermine American confidence in the democratic process—he basically threw a tantrum. 

In his tweet this morning, Trump seems to be referencing a 2019 report from special counsel Robert Mueller that indicated that Russia might want to boost Sanders in his primary against Hillary Clinton. The New York Times reported Friday, “The report quoted internal documents from the Internet Research Agency, a troll factory sponsored by Russian intelligence, in an order to its operatives: ‘Use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest except for Sanders and Trump — we support them.'”

Then there is the name-calling of Rep. Adam Schiff, who led the impeachment proceedings. Schiff attended the recent intelligence briefing with Trump, and Trump was reportedly angry that his critic was present. At that briefing, officials confirmed that Russia has hoped to disrupt the 2020 Democratic primaries. 

The final thing to note here: In his tweet, Trump urged citizens to “Vote!”—yet Nevada Republicans actually are missing out on the primary process. In a bid last year to avoid a possible serious challenge to Trump in the primary, the state GOP canceled its caucus.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

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