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Facebook says likely Russian-based operation funded U.S. ads with political message

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By Joseph Menn and David Ingram

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Why are we dinking around with this waste-of-time Voter Fraud Commission, and not ensuring our election system is safe in time for 2018 election cycle? The federal and states' electoral commissions are not taking this seriously. And this ridiculous Administration, and Congressional GOP are complicit, and don't want to get to the bottom of it!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

15,000 more people than live in Chicago voted in Chicago. Hillary got more votes in Chicago in 2016 than Obama did in 2012. The people in charge of elections in Chicago have refused to adequately explain how thi can be or other than say that the data is inaccurate (while not providing updated data). That is why we are 'dinking around' with this Voter Fraud Commission. So why are we dinking around with who bought ads on Facebook? or with DACA which suddenly has priority over anything else?

I also want to see something done to ensure our 2018 election cycle is safe. So that next time Trump or a Republican wins, the Dems wont be able to not accept the results and claim interference. Have each state comply with the Voter Fraud Commission and also spend some time looking into cybersecurity and everything should be fine.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

15,000 more people than live in Chicago voted in Chicago

So, not only did Chicago have a 100% voter turn out, they actually had a 15,000 more votes than residents? Must be some very patriotic illegal immigrants, huh?;) seriously though, I'd love some more information on this, I can't seem to find anything on it.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Here ya go:

http://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511195461-election-board-lists-more-general-election-votes-than-voters-in-chicago

And who they voted for:

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/numbers/president-vice-president-every-neighborhood-map-election-results-voting-general-primary-illinois

Nice distraction instead to focus on $150,000 that may have been spent on Facebook ads by the 'Russians' when over 1 billion was spent on ads everywhere else. Even Facebook said it found no link between the Russian-purchased advertising and any specific presidential campaign. So this is a story, why? Cause it is another chance to put the word 'Russia' in an election headline?

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Here ya go:

That's not what you said. That's not more people voting than living in Chicago. Nice try.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Whilst I think the growth of Facebook is a curse, and its users the biggest bunch of narcissistic time wasters and idiots on the planet, the Russians would be fools not to take advantage of the free propaganda opportunities offered by such a sloppy and amateurish setup. Oh, and only a fool would think the West does not do similar things - officially or unofficially.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

That's not what you said. That's not more people voting than living in Chicago. Nice try.

Ok so what does more votes than voters mean then?

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

the combined total of votes in precincts showing more votes cast than voters was approximately 16,000, Cleveland said.

I clumsily explained that. More people voted in Chicago than people who live in Chicago (that were registered to vote). Better? The technicality of my lack of perfect explanation doesnt invalidate the argument that 16.000 more people voted than should have been able to.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

That's not what you said. That's not more people voting than living in Chicago. Nice try.

Blacklabel is obviously referring to registered voters.

Good lord..

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I clumsily explained that. 

Which is specifically why I asked about that. Kind of hard to believe. There is a clear difference.

What you seemed to have missed was this:

They’re looking at a preliminary report from January, and just recently, in the last week, they’ve filed a request for an updated report,” Allen said. “They’re looking at incomplete data.

Now that those are entered, the difference is like 30—and that’s the best accountability we’ve ever had,” Allen told Fox News. “Their claim is false and ridiculous.” 

He explained that city uses an electronic poll book system launched in 2014, and, “We’ve had to go back and go through paper applications every election cycle since then, and the paper applications have filled in the gap every time.”

When asked why the Board has yet to set the record straight and make any public announcement, Allen responded, “Why would we announce? We’re only 30 off. We’ve had our best record ever.”

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/09/05/chicago-reported-thousands-more-votes-than-voters-in-2016-gop-official-says.html

But yeah, its all just a huge conspiracy. Everyone is secretly, but not so secretly really, out to get Trump.

By the way, there are frequently discrepancies that are later rectified. This is why people shouldn't rely on exit polls for example.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

 “Why would we announce? We’re only 30 off. We’ve had our best record ever.”

I saw that of course. So I just take their word for it when the only data they have made available to date shows 16,000 not 30? Why have they not made the updated data available to the people who asked for it?

*Cleveland told Fox News he filed a number of FOIA requests—the original in January, and “several follow ups” for updated numbers. “They ignored them,” Cleveland said. “They have been stonewalling us for six months.”*

“At the moment they gave me the data, they thought it was correct, and that was three months after the election.

Maybe you didnt see that part? They never mentioned until he pointed out 3 months after the election that the numbers dont match. Then suddenly it was 'incomplete' data that no one was working on to make 'complete' until NOW.

By the way, there are frequently discrepancies that are later rectified

10 months later and still not rectified. When is 'later'? maybe 'never'?

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Same exact guy election commission guy in October 2016

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/10/27/2-investigators-chicago-voters-cast-ballots-from-beyond-the-grave/

Jim Allen, a city election board spokesman, says a majority of those dead voters were most likely clerical errors, involving family members with the same names and addresses. “This is not the bad old days,” Allen says. “There are just a few instances here where a father came in for a son, or a neighbor was given the wrong ballot application and signed it.”

What? a father can vote for a son? your neighbor can vote for you?

But in some cases, there was no clear explanation. Take Tadeusz Ciesla. Records show he voted in 2010.

But his nephew Marek Ciesla says that’s impossible because he died in 1998.

Yep now we are getting somewhere. But lets keep talking about Facebook. If these so called Russian ads are found illegal, will the money be confiscated from Facebook's pockets?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Why have they not made the updated data available to the people who asked for it?

Because they just sent in a request for the updated data, duh. So no, it wasn't 10 months.

When is 'later'? maybe 'never'?

Yeah man, its a total conspiracy. The system is so rigged and Trump still won. ;) He's the greatest! Good grief.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Nice distraction instead to focus on $150,000 that may have been spent on Facebook ads by the 'Russians' when over 1 billion was spent on ads everywhere else.

Nice backpedal too, btw. We went from "collusion definitely didn't happen" to "even if it happened, what's $150,000 in a $1 billion campaign?" Love it :D

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Somehow Hillary Clinton got more votes in 2016 Chicago than 2012 Barack Obama did?? We dont need a Voter Fraud Commission? But we need to investigate this Facebook nonsense and they even sent it to Mueller's team?

@crazyjoe was the one who said:

And this ridiculous Administration, and Congressional GOP are complicit, and don't want to get to the bottom of it!

They actually do want to get to the bottom of it, but Schumer and others are trying to kill it. Probably due to not wanting to explain the types of discrepancies we are already seeing in Chicago.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Nice backpedal too, btw. We went from "collusion definitely didn't happen" to "even if it happened, what's $150,000 in a $1 billion campaign?" Love it :D

Didnt say that. There was no collusion. Said what is the impact of $150,000 in Facebook ads compared to $1 billion spent overall. Shouldnt even be a story.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Facebook themselves cant even prove 'the Russians' did this to help any specific candidate. its right in the article:

Facebook said it found no link between the Russian-purchased advertising and any specific presidential campaign. The ads were mostly national in their focus and did not appear to reflect targeting of political swing-states, the company said.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The "net" is closing in.

Shouldnt even be a story.

Only the state should provide news, eh? Very Pravda.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Dont worry CNN/Washington Post/NY Times have you covered. Front page news on all their websites about this Facebook nonsense. Not a single mention of the Awan or Menendez trials. Almost like they have a narrative or an agenda or something like Pravda would.....

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Facebook said it found no link between the Russian-purchased advertising and any specific presidential campaign. The ads were mostly national in their focus and did not appear to reflect targeting of political swing-states, the company said.

But the findings buttress U.S. intelligence agency conclusions that Russia was actively involved in shaping the election.

Love this blatant double think. But by all means, anything to keep the Russia narrative alive. Even if it means digging up a paltry $100,000 in LEGAL advertising over two years unrelated to any campaign. So long as it allows writers to mention Russia again, that's all that really matters.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Yep that 1 billion dollars spent on ads by the actual candidates specifically laying out their policies and vision? No impact at all. Not to mention 3 prime time debates viewed by tens of millions of voters.

A few Ads on Facebook few people even saw? "Shaped the election"!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

And this ridiculous Administration, and Congressional GOP are complicit, and don't want to get to the bottom of it!

They do, they're just not obsessed with it that it bogs them down from doing their job, if they did that, they'd be in the boondocks like the Democratic Party is.

Yeah man, its a total conspiracy. The system is so rigged and Trump still won. ;) He's the greatest! Good grief.

Most of it is and yes, the system is heavily rigged, ask Bernie.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Facebook can say what it wants, but if they're truly an American made corporation, guess who they should also be sharing that particular information (as well as the contributors) with? CIA and FBI. That's what they should be doing. Unless they're already doing this on the down low, they're just making noise with no effective proof and I don't trust corporate entities who are only out to make a profit to pretend they're being "patriotic" by saying words while "protecting the privacy" of people from a foreign nation attempting to interfere with US's national elections. It's a concern valid enough to take it to the proper federal authorities who can actually DO something about this in spite of our inept leadership.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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