A week out from a crowded and contentious Democratic primary in Illinois’s 9th Congressional District, Amanda Informed, an online influencer in Florida received an email with an offer: one negative post about candidate Kat Abughazaleh on Instagram and TikTok, for $1,500.

The request, which came from a secretive political organization called Democracy Unmuted, was forwarded to her by Matt Anthes, founder of Advocators, a digital marketing agency focused on politics and advocacy through micro-influencers.

It’s unclear how many creators were ultimately part of the Democracy Unmuted campaign.

MS NOW found several recent creator videos that seemed to follow the Democracy Unmuted brief targeting Abughazaleh.

One, from Justin Kralemann, a Missouri creator who posts about progressive politics, recited whole sentences from the Democracy Unmuted brief. Kralemann, wearing a white hat with “WOKE” emblazoned on the front, mispronounced Abughazaleh’s name and told his combined one million followers on Instagram and TikTok that it was important “to look past viral personalities and ask who is running and why” — a quote matching a suggested quote in the brief.

    • daannii@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      It could also be the dnc. But … I guess that’s still Israel when it comes down to it.

      • how_we_burned@lemmy.zip
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        7 hours ago

        Nah two weeks AIPAC launched the most ridiculous attack ad on Kate claiming she was taking money from Trump/Rubio.

        They discovered that some billionaires had made substantial donations to be campaign which returned (and where they could, have food banks).

        Hence AIPACs latest move to use dark money to run bullshit attacks against her