Profile In Focus | Wikileaks - Part 16 (January 2020 - May 2020)
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 2 (2000s)
Profile In Focus | Wikileaks - Part 16 (January 2020 - May 2020)
“SARS-CoV-2 without background” under public domain by Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
From January to May 2020, the events surrounding WikiLeaks and Julian Assange continued to intersect with various political controversies and global issues. During this period, the focus shifted towards topics such as political disinformation, international conflicts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a summary of the key events:
In January, Facebook faced criticism for its decision not to ban political ads, even if they contained false information. This sparked debates about the role of social media in spreading misinformation during the upcoming 2020 election.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report stating that the Office of Management and Budget had withheld Ukraine security assistance, adding to the ongoing discussions about the Trump administration's dealings with Ukraine.
The Supreme Court began considering the issue of faithless electors, who could potentially undermine the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Discussions surrounding the Ukraine aid freeze continued, with the Senate Committee on Appropriations dispelling the myth that the freeze was motivated by a desire to combat corruption.
In February, the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny prompted a statement from the EU's High Representative/Vice-President condemning the incident.
Articles emerged discussing a billion-dollar disinformation campaign aimed at reelecting President Trump, shedding light on the strategies employed in the digital realm.
Reality Winner, a whistleblower associated with the National Security Agency (NSA), submitted a clemency petition, drawing attention to the issues of government transparency and accountability.
Reports suggested that Trump's lawyer claimed that Trump had offered Julian Assange a pardon in exchange for covering up Russian hacking. The White House denied this claim.
An overview of those charged, convicted, and sentenced in the Russia probe, which investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election, highlighted the ongoing ramifications of the investigation.
In February, a peace deal was signed between the U.S. and the Taliban, aiming to end the 18-year-long war in Afghanistan.
The COVID-19 pandemic took center stage, with John Oliver's show discussing the virus and its global impact. Misinformation surrounding the pandemic, including conspiracy theories, began to circulate.
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, urging aggressive action to contain its spread. Concerns were raised about President Trump peddling dangerous disinformation related to the virus.
The United States moved towards a shutdown as fears over the coronavirus escalated. Medical supplies, including N95 masks, became crucial, with import efforts underway.
Reports highlighted the financial support from Montana Republicans that facilitated Green Party ballot access. The Green Party's likely nominee, Howie Hawkins, was discussed.
John Oliver's show continued to address the coronavirus pandemic and related issues, including testing and the impact on sports.
Trump's phone call with Putin regarding the "Russia hoax" raised questions about the president's stance on Russian interference in U.S. elections.
Allegations were made that China was attempting to hack vaccine data, reflecting the increased focus on cyberattacks during the pandemic.
The Supreme Court expressed concerns about potential chaos if states couldn't bind electors' votes, adding to the discussions around the electoral process.
Protests erupted following the death of George Floyd, with misinformation spreading and racial tensions escalating. Reports addressed the involvement of far-right infiltrators in the protests.
The events during this period demonstrated the continued relevance of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange in the context of broader political controversies, international relations, and global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against racial injustice.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on June 5, 2023
Previous: Profile In Focus | Wikileaks - Part 15 (August 2019 - December 2019)
Next: Profile In Focus | Wikileaks - Part 17 (June 2020 - August 2020)
Return to start: Profile In Focus | Wikileaks
Putin Is A War Criminal
Russia Is A Terrorist State:
Part 1 (1990s)
Part 2 (2000s)
Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
Part 5 (2020 - 2021)
Part 6 (2022+)
Sources for Profile In Focus | Wikileaks - Part 16 (January 2020 - May 2020):
Facebook again refuses to ban political ads, even false ones – AP News January 9, 2020
Justices to consider faithless electors, ahead of 2020 vote – AP News January 17, 2020
THE BILLION-DOLLAR DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO REELECT THE PRESIDENT – The Atlantic February 10, 2020
Afghan conflict: US and Taliban sign deal to end 18-year war – BBC February 29, 2020
Coronavirus – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver March 2, 2020
Salisbury poisoning: What did the attack mean for the UK and Russia? – BBC March 4, 2020
Iranian, Russian, Chinese Media Push COVID-19 ‘Bioweapon’ Conspiracies – Defense One March 10, 2020
WHO declares coronavirus a pandemic, urges aggressive action – AP News March 11, 2020
Trump Is Peddling Dangerous Disinformation on Coronavirus – Defense One March 11, 2020
US moves nearer to shutdown amid coronavirus fears – AP News March 15, 2020
Coronavirus II – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver March 16, 2020
Crimea: Six years after illegal annexation – Brookings March 17, 2020
Arizona death prompts warning against self-medication – AP News March 24, 2020
Montana Republicans bankrolled Green Party ballot access – AP News March 24, 2020
Howie Hawkins will probably be the Green Party’s 2020 nominee – The Economist March 28, 2020
Coronavirus III – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver March 30, 2020
First N95 medical mask imports finally reaching US – AP News March 31, 2020
OAN – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver April 6, 2020
U.S. states share, get creative in hunt for medical supplies – AP News April 9, 2020
Coronavirus IV – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver April 13, 2020
Coronavirus V – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver April 20, 2020
Conspiracy theorists burn 5G towers claiming link to virus – AP News April 21, 2020
Coronavirus VI – Testing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver May 4, 2020
Trump Says He Discussed Russia ‘Hoax’ With Putin in Phone Call – Bloomberg May 7, 2020
Justices fear ‘chaos’ if states can’t bind electors’ votes – AP News May 13, 2020
Coronavirus VII: Sports – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver May 18, 2020
Trump Sows Doubt on Voting. It Keeps Some People Up at Night. – The New York Times May 24, 2020
Minneapolis protest misinformation stokes racial tensions – AP News May 29, 2020
Protests, some violent, spread in wake of George Floyd death – AP News May 30, 2020