U.S. media reports former Trump adviser sends surveillance on Democrats
[Global Times Special correspondent Zhang Mengxu Global Times reporter Guo Yuandan Global Times special correspondent Wang Yi] As the US Democratic Party candidate nomination battle is in full swing, the New York Times reported on the 7th that it has close relations with the Trump administration The founder of Blackwater, Prince, has infiltrated Democratic campaigns, labor organizations, and other groups deemed to be hostile to Trump by recruiting former British and American agents for secret intelligence gathering activities. Some experts told the Global Times reporter on the 8th that the new news from the US media may trigger more fermentation scandals, but it has limited impact on Trump ’s election.
Data Map: US President Trump. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong
Former US President's "shadow consultant" hires spy to infiltrate
According to the New York Times, former British agent Seiden, who was hired by Prince, directed an undercover agent in 2017 to make secret recordings of local teachers' union leaders in an attempt to crack down on the organization. In 2018, the agent used another pseudonym to infiltrate Democrat Spinberg's House of Representatives campaign. Spinberg's campaign team spotted the agent and fired her. The report said that both operations were carried out by a conservative organization called "Truth Project", which used covert cameras and microphones to spy on news agencies, Democratic politicians including the New York Times, the Washington Post, etc. And the situation of liberal groups.
Prince has a constant and chaotic relationship with Trump administration officials and the president's family. According to information released by the US investigative news website "Intercept", Prince came from a large family in Michigan and was the brother of Education Secretary Betsy Devos. After Bezi married the heir to the Amway Group, the two families joined together to become the main gold lords of radical right-wing groups and some Republican politicians. Prince and his family have donated to Trump and Vice President Pence's election campaign. The former president of Blackwater has known Mr Bannon, Trump's former senior adviser, for many years. Through Bannon, he became Trump's "shadow adviser" and participated in Trump's campaign throughout. Prior to Trump's victory but not yet in office, Prince worked with Flynn, a former US president's national security assistant. In 2017, he met with White House and Pentagon officials to come up with a plan to use contractors instead of U.S. forces to privatize the Afghan war. Prince also became a hunting friend with Trump's son. In addition, Prince's wife, Stacey, has an unusual relationship with the Mercer family, which helped Trump win the election.
Leftist group calls for investigation
It is unclear whether any Trump administration officials or presidential advisers have been involved in these espionage operations. According to the New York Times, Okif, the head of the "truth project," declined to answer related questions. However, he insisted that his organization was a "proud independent news agency" and participated in dozens of investigations. He said that many sources provided confidential documents to the Truth Project and also wore hidden cameras to capture the corruption and misconduct of those involved. Prince is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, and he has been accused of lying to the U.S. Congress in a "Trade Through Russia" investigation.
After the "New York Times" report was published, some US netizens described Prince's move as "chilly" or "crazy". American left-wing magazine "Jacobbin" editor Pres exclaimed: "All my paranoid illusions are true!" American left non-profit organization "Union Development" issued a statement on the 7th calling on the House of Representatives Investigates activities. "Rolling Stone" magazine senior author Jamil Smith said on the 7th that the entire incident was a terrible corruption that was intolerable. Democratic politician and former presidential candidate Marianna Williamson called the New York Times' report "unsettling."
On February 2, local time, the Democratic candidate for the United States Democratic Party and former Vice President Biden campaigned in the Des Moines capital of Iowa. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong
Affecting the Trump campaign?
Many US media think that the contents of the "New York Times" broke the news is not surprising, but the media has not previously reported the relationship between Prince and the "truth project." According to "Russia Today" TV station reported on the 8th, for anyone who understands the "truth project", the organization's activities are nothing new. The conservative group is known for secretly shooting videos of mainstream media figures and candidates such as Sanders. Professor Haidong Li, a professor at the Institute of International Studies at the China Foreign Affairs University, said in an interview with reporters from the Global Times on the 8th that regardless of whether the content reported by the New York Times is true or not, the whole incident shows that the US election is still a dirty trick full of dirty water and other tricks. process. He said that the news showed that some groups were extremely dissatisfied with Trump in an attempt to weaken Trump's re-election campaign, and related reports may trigger more scandals.
Following Super Tuesday, the Democratic Party will usher in another pre-election highlight on the 10th. Former Vice President Biden and Senator Sanders will compete for party votes in six Midwestern states. The results of this election are likely to further clarify who will be candidates for the Democratic presidential election. As the day of the election approaches, the "battlefield" of the bipartisan struggle in the United States is also expanding, and will the "New York Times" report affect Trump's election? In this regard, Li Haidong said that these breaking news may have some impact on Trump's polls in the short term, but they are not conclusive, and to a certain extent, they are not very important. He believes that Trump's election situation looks better this year than in 2016, and Democratic candidates, whether Biden or Sanders, are not a strong candidate to defeat Trump.