The Sconi

In response to recent reports that the Biden-Harris Administration is taking action against Russian influence operations targeting the 2024 U.S. election, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said that the letter written by Antony Blinken and signed by 51 intelligence officials concerning Hunter Biden's laptop controversy in 2020 represents the most significant instance of election interference in U.S. history.

“Nothing in U.S. history comes close to the interference caused by the letter engineered by Antony Blinken (working for Biden’s 2020 campaign) signed by 51 intel officials falsely claiming Hunter’s laptop had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,’” Johnson wrote in a social media post on X.

CNN recently reported that the Biden administration has taken extensive action to counter alleged Russian efforts to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election, including criminal charges, sanctions, and the seizure of internet domains. According to U.S. officials, three Russian companies, acting under President Vladimir Putin's direction, used fake profiles to spread false narratives on social media, with the apparent intent to boost Former President's Donald Trump's candidacy or that of the eventual Republican nominee.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken | state.gov

Two employees of RT, the Russian state media network, were indicted for their alleged involvement in a scheme that channeled nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based front company to produce divisive online content, according to the CNN report. The Justice Department seized 32 internet domains linked to the Russian disinformation operation, targeting swing states with themes such as job loss for white Americans and alleged threats from Ukrainian immigrants.

U.S. officials are also monitoring potential election interference from other countries, including Iran and China. However, they emphasize that the voting process itself remains secure, with an estimated 97% of registered voters in the 2024 election set to cast ballots in jurisdictions with verified paper records.

This current situation draws parallels to past concerns about foreign influence in U.S. elections. Notably, in April 2023, it was revealed that Antony Blinken, then a senior adviser to Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, played a key role in initiating a letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials. This letter, released in October 2020, suggested that the Hunter Biden laptop story published by The New York Post had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."

Michael Morell, a former CIA Deputy Director and one of the letter's signatories, testified before Congress that Blinken's outreach prompted the effort to draft the letter. Morell admitted that his intent was partly to assist Biden in the 2020 presidential debate and to help him win the election. This revelation has drawn criticism, suggesting the Biden campaign may have contributed to efforts to suppress the Hunter Biden story, potentially influencing the 2020 election.

According to the bio on his official website, Ron Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 after a successful career in manufacturing in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he ran his business for 30 years. From 2015 to 2021, he chaired the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and remains a member. Johnson currently serves as the ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and is also a member of the Budget and Finance committees. He was re-elected to a third term in 2022 and resides in Oshkosh with his wife, Jane. They have three children and four grandchildren.