Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said foreign interference is likely to blame for a fake video spreading on social media showing a Haitian national with a stack of state IDs claiming to have voted multiple times.
“This is false, and is an example of targeted disinformation we’ve seen this election,” Raffensperger said in a statement Thursday evening. “It is likely foreign interference attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election.”
Raffensperger said his office has asked Elon Musk as well as officials from other social media platforms to remove the “obviously fake” video that is “part of a disinformation effort.”
While the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is investigating the video’s origin, Raffendsperger said it’s likely a “production of Russian troll farms.”
“As Americans we can’t let our enemies use lies to divide us and undermine our faith in our institutions - or each other,” he said.
— GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (@GaSecofState) November 1, 2024
Raffensperger's statement comes a week after the National Intelligence Council warned Americans about foreign election interference.
“Foreign actors — particularly Russia, Iran, and China — remain intent on fanning divisive narratives to divide Americans and undermine Americans’ confidence in the U.S. democratic system consistent with what they perceive to be in their interests, even as their tactics continue to evolve,” the release read. "The IC expects foreign influence efforts will intensify in the lead-up to Election Day, especially through social media posts—some of which are likely to be AI-generated or enhanced."