Trump campaign launches anti-impeachment blitz on Facebook, targeting four minority congresswomen

[dalton99a]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/27/trump-campaign-launches-anti-impeachment-blitz-facebook-repeating-falsehoods-about-four-minority-congresswomen/

Trump campaign launches anti-impeachment blitz on Facebook, targeting four minority congresswomen
The president’s campaign spent as much money on Facebook ads on a single day as it typically spends in a week, a digital firm says.
By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Tony Romm
September 27 at 4:46 PM

President Trump’s reelection campaign responded to the opening of a formal impeachment inquiry in Congress by launching a massive Facebook ad blitz, spending as much as $1.4 million on thousands of ads designed to reach voters in every state.

The online battery included misleading messages about the “socialist squad,” Trump’s epithet for the four congresswomen of color whom he previously directed to “go back” to their home countries, even though they are all American citizens.

Some of the ads accused the freshman lawmakers of making “pro-terrorist remarks,” which they have not done, and pressed supporters to join Trump’s “official impeachment defense fund,” which he has also promoted in fundraising appeals sent by email and text message. The “squad” refers to Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), none of whom was mentioned by name.

The online offensive offered a window into Trump’s bare-knuckle approach to the coming impeachment battles, as he took the showdown to his favored terrain: the Internet. Already, campaign officials say they have filled their coffers with contributions: Eric Trump, the president’s second son and the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said Thursday that the campaign had raised $8.5 million in the previous 24 hours.

The Facebook ads, which traffic in claims found to be false by The Washington Post Fact Checker, also provided a new test for the technology giant after it reaffirmed this week it would exempt speech by politicians from fact checking. That exemption, company executives said, also applies to ads, though sponsored posts are required to meet community standards that proscribe threats as well as “content aimed at deliberately deceiving people to gain an unfair advantage or deprive another of money, property, or legal right.”

On Friday, Facebook said none of the ads violated its policies, including those that prohibit dehumanizing speech, though the company did not detail its reasoning. A spokesman for the Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

[RockRaven]

1. Idiots... How is smearing these 4 reps going to give cover to GOP Senators voting no on removal?

These four Congresswomen will certainly participate, but by no FOXNews-fever-dream be a driving nor deciding factor, in Trump's impeachment. Even if you smear the hell out of them, every Repuke Senator is taking their career into their own hands by voting no on removal of this traitorous criminal. This is wasted money... well, except for the political operatives who get a cut for each ad buy, and the corporations which take this money in exchange for spreading bullshit.

[pangaia]

3. .it is aimed ata the Magats..get them even more riled up

[struggle4progress]

2. "If your skin is brown, we think it's all your fault!"

[NCLefty]

4. 14 more months of this, and it only increases until then. :/

I'm picturing the mailers featuring these women too. They'll probably have an ISIS flag on there and only send it to old, white Republicans (aka The Base).

[Kaleva]

5. You'll also see anti-impeachment ads on YouTube

Was watching some videos last evening, a few hours ago, on building a Siberian wood fire and I saw the ads.

[EveHammond13]

6. these people are so fucking awful and stupid

[EveHammond13]

7. you want to throw down asshole? fine. let's throw down. give us all you got.

[lunasun]

8. Trump & friends will stay boldly racist until the end. He knows his supporters feed on it too

Last edited Sat Sep 28, 2019, 10:05 AM - Edit history (2)

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