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We Traced The Smears Against Kamala Harris To Obama Birthers And Neo-Nazis

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  john-russell  •  5 years ago  •  77 comments

We Traced The Smears Against Kamala Harris To Obama Birthers And Neo-Nazis

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



We Traced The Smears Against Kamala Harris To Obama Birthers And Neo-Nazis


"Seeing the tweets declaring that Kamala isn't black enough because her parents are from Jamaica and India, I had an immediate flashback to the 2008 campaign".



Posted on June 28, 2019, at 4:11 p.m. ET





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Drew Angerer / Getty Images





Not long after Senator Kamala Harris challenged  Joe Biden’s record on race  during the second Democratic debate last night, a barrage of tweets questioned her race and US citizenship. While these claims erupted into national prominence last night, in part due to a quote-tweet from Donald Trump Jr., falsehoods about her have been long-simmering in fringe conspiracy and neo-Nazi circles.

Just as Barack Obama’s US citizenship and background became a full-fledged conspiracy theory — promoted at the time by Donald Trump — Harris has also been targeted with disinformation questioning her legitimacy as a US citizen and race. Obama birther conspiracy theorists and prominent neo-Nazis, including Andrew Anglin, have questioned her eligibility to run for president, and she’s been labeled an “anchor baby.”

In fact, Harris was born in Oakland, Calif., to an Indian mother and Jamaican father, and is eligible to run for president.

“Seeing the tweets declaring that Kamala isn't black enough because her parents are from Jamaica and India, I had an immediate flashback to the 2008 campaign,” Shauna Daly, who led the fight against online smears on the Obama campaign, told BuzzFeed News. That campaign faced an early wave of rumors about Obama’s race and religion, which later coalesced into false claims about the president’s birthplace whose most famous champion was Donald Trump.

The Senator’s campaign didn’t comment on the claims after being contacted by BuzzFeed News. However, Harris herself is alert to the pattern and made a connection between claims made about her and Obama birtherism in a February radio interview  later broadcast on CNN .

"This is the same thing they did to Barack, this is not new to us,” she said. Harris said “powerful voices trying to sow hate and division among us. And so we need to recognize when we're being played."

Last night’s tweets, some of which were amplified by bots and in one case by Donald Trump Jr., gave a new level of exposure to earlier claims propagated by fringe websites and discredited figures such as Jacob Wohl and the virulent neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin.

As documented by social media researcher Caroline Orr, Harris’ presence in the debate led to an onslaught of tweets that claimed she isn’t black, was not born in the United States, and was raised in Canada. (Harris went to high school in Canada, but otherwise lived in the US.)








The sentiment that Harris is not an “American Black” was also expressed in a viral tweet — one that was briefly amplified by Donald Trump Jr. (he later deleted his message):








The tweet’s author is Ali Alexander,  who previously went by the name Ali Akba . He’s a black MAGA-world personality who  launched a website for other fringe  Trump supporters unable to find a home in more traditional conservative media. Alexander recently joined Jacob Wohl and Laura Loomer on their trip to Minnesaota to make a film about Rep. Ilhan Omar in which they floated conspiracies about her background. Hours after sending his viral tweet, Alexander  followed up with a live stream  to further explain his claim.

After Alexander sent his tweet, it was soon  copied word for word  and tweeted by a network of bot accounts previously  identified  by bot researcher  Josh Russel .

He said the bots often copy and repost tweets from prominent accounts on Twitter, including those from different sides of the political spectrum.

“To me it seems like [the bots] are just trying to blend in … and just trying to make them appear more human they are,” he told BuzzFeed News.

It’s unclear whether their amplification of the above tweet was done automatically, or at the direction of the unknown operator running the botnet.

Where the false claims started


The smears against Harris have been percolating since long before she announced her campaign for president earlier this year.

One of the earliest attempts to paint her as ineligible for the presidency came in 2017 from a California man who has spent years pushing the false Obama birther conspiracy. Gary Wilmot wrote the Senator a letter that year telling her she should withdraw from the race.

“In this age of Trump, where the current president was fully informed of Obama’s identity fraud and lack of constitutional eligibility in April of 2011 (just weeks prior to Obama’s forged birth certificate release), you can expect ferocious opposition from equal opportunity ‘birthers’ such as myself who only want the Constitution respected,”  the letter  said, in part.

The letter also says Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz “fail to meet the standard of citizenship.”

“I’m an equal opportunity birther,” Wilmot told BuzzFeed News in a phone call. He said he’s a 67-year-old private citizen who will probably keep speaking about Kamala Harris’s eligibility.

His letter was posted to the website of the American Resistance Party, which holds far-right views on immigration, abortion, and religion. Wilmot said he is unaffiliated with the party and didn’t know they published his letter before BuzzFeed News asked him about it.

Wilmot’s claims were also picked up by other Obama birth certificate conspiracy theorists. In August 2018 a website called The Post & Email published an article titled “Is Kamala Harris Eligible to be President?” That site is run by Sharon Rondeau, whose bio says she is focused on “the Obama birth certificate investigation.”

Its article received more than 14,000 shares, likes, and reactions on Facebook and was tweeted more than 10,000 times, according to data from Crowdtangle, a social media analytics service.

Within 24 hours of announcing her presidential campaign this January 21, Harris was again targeted with false claims about her eligibility and citizenship.

Among the first to falsely claim that her race and parents make her ineligible to run for president after she announced her candidacy was The Daily Stormer, an openly neo-Nazi website. Its founder, Andrew Anglin, claimed that Harris is “not an American” and said she does not belong in the country.

Similar claims were echoed by Jacob Wohl, a disgraced right-wing hoaxer, who  falsely tweeted on Jan. 22 that the senator “is not eligible for President.”  In his tweet, Wohl misstated the requirements for American citizenship.

Along with Wohl’s tweet and the Daily Stormer’s article, the website patriots4truth.org published a post titled,  “Kamala Harris is an Anchor Baby and She is not Black.”  The article included an image of what it claims to be Harris’ birth certificate. BuzzFeed News could not confirm its authenticity, but even if genuine it confirms the fact that Harris was born in Oakland.

The “About” and “Contact” pages on patriots4truth.org don’t list the owner and the article containing the birth certificate did not have a byline. However, domain registration information from the website and meta data from the birth certificate both list the name Tyla Wells. Wells, who was  once featured in a 40 under 40 feature by Crain’s Detroit Business , did not respond to an email or phone call from BuzzFeed News.

The website registration information also lists her business, School House Corporate. According to the Crain’s Detroit Business profile, “she has helped establish two public-charter vocational high schools in the Detroit area.”




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JohnRussell
Professor Principal
1  seeder  JohnRussell    5 years ago

How long will it be before Trump claims  "Some people say Kamala Harris isn't eligible. I don't know if it's true or not, but a lot of people are saying it, so we'll wait and see what happens."  ?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.2  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @1    5 years ago

Another bombshell from "Buzzfeed" the organization that first released the unverified, bogus Steele Dossier and more recently had their story that Trump instructed Cohen to lie debunked by none other that Robert Mueller.

First of all John, tweets off the internet say all sorts of things. Do you really think these obscure, outlier claims are going to be a part of the campaign?  I'm guessing they would have even less news time than when such claims were made against Obama, McCain, Cruz and even the Conservative Barry Goldwater. 

Here might be a way to stop it: The two major political parties vet every candidate on the issue of qualifications as soon as a candidacy is announced!

 
 
 
Dulay
Professor Expert
1.2.1  Dulay  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.2    5 years ago
First of all John, tweets off the internet say all sorts of things.

Especially Trump's. 

Do you really think these obscure, outlier claims are going to be a part of the campaign? 

They don't need to be a 'formal' part of the campaign.

I'm guessing they would have even less news time than when such claims were made against Obama, McCain, Cruz and even the Conservative Barry Goldwater. 

I guess it depends on how often Don Jr. retweets them to his 3 million+ followers...

BTW, the bullshit about Obama is still repeated, even here on NT. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.3  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @1    5 years ago

I think Harris must first worry about winning the nomination. After scoring a nice win in the first debate via Biden's expense, a reporter has since asked her "whether she supports federally mandated busing, she replied: “I believe that any tool that is in the toolbox should be considered by a school district.” 

(Speaking of tweets); Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, quickly tweeted: “It’s disappointing that Senator Harris chose to distort Vice President Biden’s position on busing — particularly now that she is tying herself in knots trying not to answer the very question she posed to him!”


That means Harris has her hands full with winning the primary #1. Smearing the President will have to wait.

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2  Mark in Wyoming     5 years ago

Only constitutional eligibility is being a natural born citizen , Oakland cali 1964 check

be at least 35 years old  check

have lived within the boundries of the US for the last 14 years , check

So she meets the minimum eligibility requirements dictated by the US Constitution to hold the office of president or vice president .

Any other eligibility requirements are subject to ones individual opinion.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.1  sandy-2021492  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @2    5 years ago

The same was true when Obama was a candidate.  That didn't stop the liars from lying.

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2.1.1  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  sandy-2021492 @2.1    5 years ago

true , it just make them look stupid .

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.1.2  sandy-2021492  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @2.1.1    5 years ago

Agreed, but stupid people vote, and so do gullible ones.

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2.1.3  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  sandy-2021492 @2.1.2    5 years ago

yep and everyone will end up voting for their own interests in the end anyway.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.1.4  sandy-2021492  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @2.1.3    5 years ago

Well, that will be their intention.  Some stupid people vote against their own interests.  Repeatedly.

 
 
 
lib50
Professor Silent
2.1.5  lib50  replied to  sandy-2021492 @2.1.4    5 years ago

Its why Trump and the gop like the stupid, the uneducated.  Trump puts on a show -his rallies are combination of a circus act and the Rocky Horror picture show, his base knows their cues.  Of course the paid ones (like 'his African American') help generate the mood. 

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2.1.6  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  sandy-2021492 @2.1.4    5 years ago
Some stupid people vote against their own interests.

I never did hold with that accusation/ saying . main reason is no one person making that statement can truly know what anothers self interests are, the person saying that can guess , postulate , summize  and think THEY know whats in anothers self interests , and they make themselves look just as stupid for saying it because the only one who can make a choice in their own self interests is the person themselves. At best the person who is accused of voting against their own self interests are actually only voting AGAINST the ones self interests making that accusation.

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
2.1.7  JBB  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @2.1.6    5 years ago

Does poor people voting to cut rich people's taxes makes sense?

No. That is why the gop feeds on racial and religious resentment.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.1.8  sandy-2021492  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @2.1.6    5 years ago

I'll disagree.  I think folks who repeatedly vote for a party that sells them out (usually financially) because that party makes promises that are nearly impossible to keep,  sometimes even unconstitutional, are voting against their own interests.  Sometimes they do so because they are deceived about their own interests.  Sometimes, they don't understand the Constitution and the impossibility of the promises made.  And sometimes, they're bigots who see only candidates who share their prejudices.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.1.10  sandy-2021492  replied to    5 years ago

So they vote for politicians who promise they won't tax them, and still do.  Politicians who start wars that have to be paid for somehow, but make money for their rich friends (Haliburton, anyone?).

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
2.1.12  Snuffy  replied to    5 years ago
You have perfectly described the Democrats,, past and present

Actually he described both parties. Neither party gives a damn about the people except when it comes to their votes because the parties need our votes to maintain their power.

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2.1.13  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  Snuffy @2.1.12    5 years ago

beat me to it Snuffy, maybe for different reasons . Which is why I am neither registered democrat or republican. The old axium I follow, know when a politician / party is lying? their lips are moving.

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
2.1.14  Ronin2  replied to  JBB @2.1.7    5 years ago

Except when the poor and middle class taxes are cut as well. The left always leave that fact out, the GOP cut taxes for everyone- no tjust the rich. Reagan did it, Bush Jr it, and so did Trump. 

Want to know who didn't do anything for the middle class or poor for taxes? The Democratic Party, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Clinton raised taxes on everyone. 

Clinton emphasized that "98.8" percent of America's families "will have no increase in their income tax rates." He stressed that neither Medicare nor Social Security recipients would face cuts in their benefits, and that the overall tax burden for families earning $40,000 a year would rise less than $17 a month.

As for Obama- he was more concerned about increasing taxes on the rich by letting the Bush tax cuts expire. Even if that meant allowing them to expire for the poor and middle class as well. Unfortunately, the Republicans caved. I would have loved to see Obama having to explain to the middle class and poor why their taxes were going up; and how it would negatively affect the economy.

 
 
 
lib50
Professor Silent
2.1.15  lib50  replied to  Ronin2 @2.1.14    5 years ago
the GOP cut taxes for everyone- no tjust the rich. Reagan did it, Bush Jr it, and so did Trump. 

Total bullshit.  This article is very informative and give history to gop tax cuts.  It also compares the Reagan and Bush cuts and how they came to be.  Not even remotely close because Trumpers didn't even try to do due diligence.  I'm posting the epilogue,  but read the whole thing.

Epilogue3.jpg
 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
2.1.16  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  JBB @2.1.7    5 years ago
Does poor people voting to cut rich people's taxes makes sense?

about as much sense as telling poor people that taxes will only be raised on and paid by the rich , who have the ability to move funds around so it is non taxable.

Both depend on how it is packaged and presented as to if it makes sense to any individual, remember there is no law that says anyone has to have an income  since it is income that is usually taxed , nor is there a law that says people that can afford to, have to invest. just like there is no law that says a person has to allow any bank use their money to make loans to anyone.

 
 
 
Dulay
Professor Expert
2.1.17  Dulay  replied to  Ronin2 @2.1.14    5 years ago
As for Obama- he was more concerned about increasing taxes on the rich by letting the Bush tax cuts expire.

It's called fiscal responsibility. 

Even if that meant allowing them to expire for the poor and middle class as well. Unfortunately, the Republicans caved.

It was the GOP that were 'all or nothing'...

Yes the Republicans caved and Obama got to rescind the Bush tax cuts for the rich and leave the Bush tax cuts for the poor and middle class. 

I would have loved to see Obama having to explain to the middle class and poor why their taxes were going up; and how it would negatively affect the economy.

Aren't conservatives the ones that insist that the debt and deficit effect the economy? 

Oh wait, my bad, that's only when a Democratic POTUS is in office. 

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
4  pat wilson    5 years ago

Social media researcher Caroline Orr noted that a number of “suspect accounts” highlighted similar claims after Harris’s debate appearance.

“A lot of suspect accounts are pushing the 'Kamala Harris is not Black' narrative tonight. It’s everywhere and it has all the signs of being a coordinated/artificial operation,” she tweeted after the debate. 

Fucking bots !

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5  Sean Treacy    5 years ago

Phew... Lucky you found this...

Fear mongering about tweets is really all democrats have going for them after the last two days..

The democrats and their pet media  will draw much more attention to these tweets than they ever would have gotten otherwise.

Keep manufacturing the boogeymen. Better than talking about tax payer funded abortions for men, abolishing ICE and free health care for illegals, which is what Democrats actually focus on at debates.  

 
 
 
cjcold
Professor Quiet
5.1  cjcold  replied to  Sean Treacy @5    5 years ago
tax payer funded abortions for men

I must have missed that part of the debate.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5.1.1  Sean Treacy  replied to  cjcold @5.1    5 years ago

Julian castro.

He probably was spending too much time getting Spanish lessons from a Jewish lady so he could sound "authentically" ethnic to study biology.

 
 
 
bbl-1
Professor Quiet
6  bbl-1    5 years ago

'The Alt Right' bag of crap group gains most of its support from Russian INTEL who's only goal is to weaken the West.   It is there where 'Birtherism' was spawned and Donald J. Trump received his national name recognition.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
7  Raven Wing    5 years ago

I for one would never vote for Kamala Harris. She is much too busy ridiculing and attacking other candidates instead of speaking about her position on the topics in America that really matter to the voters.

To me, she is just another Trump, "It's all about me...me...me," and trying to make everyone else look bad while actively trying to cover up and/or excuse any of her own faults.

IMHO, she is in no way Presidential material.

JMOO

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
7.1  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing @7    5 years ago

I know who my candidate is, unfortunately she is not running.

Too bad, as that is where my vote is going, come hell or high water.

Maybe next go round Deb Haaland will decide to run.

She actually works across the isle for all her constituents.

"Political Hot Topic Du'jour"? What's that? It's BS, that is what it is.

I am in the state of Maryland. I am working for her.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
7.1.1  Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993 @7.1    5 years ago
Maybe next go round Deb Haaland will decide to run.

She would indeed be a worthy candidate. However, as she is a Native American her chances of being elected to such a high office is doubtful, as there are still far too many who hate Native Americans, as they see them only as lazy, drunken vermin that should be exterminated. 

But, perhaps one day we will see a Native American President, just as we saw our first black President. I will not live to see that day, but, hopefully, my Granddaughter or Great-Grandchildren will see it happen in their lifetime. 

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
7.1.2  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing @7.1.1    5 years ago
I will not live to see that day, but, hopefully, my Granddaughter or Great-Grandchildren will see it happen in their lifetime. 

I understand Raven Wing, yet this is where I am taking my stand.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
7.1.3  Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993 @7.1.2    5 years ago
I understand Raven Wing, yet this is where I am taking my stand

I will be an avid supporter as long and as best as I can. As well as for many other well deserving and fully capable Native Americans. 

Our country has been going through a learning process since its inception, and there are still many bridges yet to cross. But, as the years pass, the American people, as a whole, will learn that no man, or woman, is a world unto themselves.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
7.1.4  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing @7.1.3    5 years ago
But, as the years pass, the American people, as a whole, will learn that no man, or woman, is a world unto themselves.

Yes, and you know what, IMO, Deb Haaland is the only visible politician who knows this.

 
 

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