Oversight Hearing Demonstrates Threat of Foreign Disinformation as Russian, Chinese Propaganda Infect House GOP

Washington, D.C. (April 18, 2024)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, led Committee Democrats in examining how autocracies like China and Russia have sought to undermine American democracy through pervasive disinformation and propaganda campaigns that have infected the Republican party.

“This kind of Chinese-Russian-MAGA propaganda and disinformation circuit now penetrates Congress itself. [. . .] Our rejection of foreign propaganda interference in our politics should not depend on whether our party is the victim or the beneficiary of it.  We all lose when our political dialogue falls prey to the disinformation of foreign states who are not members of our national political community.  Foreign disinformation should have no place in defining our campaigns, controlling our elections, or thwarting our legislative process,” said Ranking Member Raskin in his opening statement.

The hearing included testimony from Prof. Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University; Brig. Gen. Robert S. Spalding (Ret.), Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SEMPRE; Col. Grant F. Newsham (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps; and Mr. Peter Mattis, President of Jamestown Foundation.

Committee Democrats highlighted how support for Ukraine is crucial for deterring threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made clear that, “In this moment, having U.S. military assistance and broader global assistance to Ukraine should be one of our top geopolitical priorities because it is the key in defending democracy, geopolitically, whether your interest is in China, whether the interest is in anywhere else.”

• Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi discussed the connection between Ukraine and deterring CCP aggression, explaining that on a recent Congressional Delegation visit to Taiwan “the number one topic that came up in every single meeting in Taiwan was Ukraine.  Every single person that we met with in Taiwan asked us, ‘Are you going to pass aid to Ukraine?’ Why?  Because they see it as vital in sending a message to Beijing to deter military aggression by Beijing against Taiwan.”

• In response to questioning by Rep. Melanie Stansbury regarding the need to act on Ukraine security assistance, Professor Snyder emphasized:  “The direct connection between Ukraine and China, which everyone in Taiwan understands and repeats, is that insofar as they resist successfully, the Ukrainians are deterring Chinese offensive operations in the Pacific.”

Committee Democrats exposed the Republican Party’s embrace of Russian propaganda and the CCP’s increasing adoption of Russia’s disinformation playbook.

• Professor Timothy Snyder testified that “Political warfare only works insofar as it works through us” and then identified specific disinformation themes that have been spread by both Russia and the Chinese Communist Party and amplified by Members of Congress.  For example, Professor Snyder explained that “Ukrainians are Nazis” is “a Russian theme, picked up by China, echoed on the House floor.”  Similarly, Professor Snyder identified the theme “Ukraine is corrupt” as “a Russian theme, picked up by China, echoed on the House floor, echoed in the Senate by Senator Vance.”  Professor Snyder also identified “the Biden bribe”—which has been central to the Committee’s sham impeachment effort—as “a Russian theme picked up and echoed by China, discussed in this very chamber.”

• Asked by Rep. Shontel Brown to “explain how Russia and the CCP are capitalizing on each other’s propaganda efforts to spread disinformation in this year’s election,” Professor Snyder warned that “[t]here are Chinese institutions that are modeled on Russian institutions” and while the CCP’s disinformation “themes and tropes are much less skillful [. . .] the basic idea is the same:  to convince Americans that elections are basically pointless and [. . .] to undermine the Biden Administration and to promote the Trump candidacy” with the “overall aim [. . .] to get us into a situation where we don’t believe in ourselves and we don’t believe in our system.”

• Referring to the infamous FBI Form FD-1023 tipsheet repeatedly cited by Chairman Comer and House Republican Members as key evidence in the sham impeachment inquiry, Ranking Member Raskin explained that “[T]he key evidence in this Committee’s protracted impeachment quest [. . .] turned out to be a tissue of lies planted by a person with close and extensive ties to Russian intelligence.”  Rep. Robert Garcia noted that Chairman Comer wanted Mr. Gal Luft—who has been indicted for being an unregistered Chinese foreign agent—to be a witness in the Committee’s sham impeachment inquiry “just because Gal Luft was willing to help Republicans smear” President Biden.

• In response to questioning by Rep. Summer Lee about the CCP amplifying Russian propaganda aimed at the United States, Professor Snyder observed that:  “I believe it’s also a scholarly consensus that Chinese information operations are moving in that direction.  There is good empirical evidence since 2023 that precisely what China is trying to do on social media is what Russia did in previous elections, namely, disrupt and favor the candidate they regard as most disruptive.”

Committee Democrats stressed the importance of addressing stigmatization, discrimination, and violence based on race or national origin—especially against Chinese Americans—as we continue to counter the national security threat posed by the CCP.

• Rep. Ayanna Pressley emphasized that “Racial slurs are not a national security strategy. They do nothing to help counter the threat posed by the CCP.”  In response to questioning by Rep. Pressley regarding the effect of political leaders normalizing racist language that pits one group against another, Professor Snyder stated, “As our adversaries know, and seek to exploit, it makes us less safe.”

• Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi made clear that “In addressing the threat of the CCP, we have no quarrel with the Chinese people or people of Chinese origin or Asian origin, for that matter.  That's why we should never engage in any anti-Chinese or anti-Asian stereotyping or prejudice.”

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