8 ms·
> You are confusing that with money that was originally allocated by the Pentagon, not S.3274 From the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter
by danso 8y ago
> You are confusing that with money that was originally allocated by the Pentagon, not S.3274
From the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countering_Foreign_Propaganda_and_Disinformation_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countering_Foreign_Propaganda_...
> n the version of the bill incorporated into the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Congress would ask the United States Secretary of State to collaborate with the United States Secretary of Defense and other relevant Federal agencies to create a Global Engagement Center (GEC) to fight against propaganda from foreign governments, and publicize the nature of ongoing foreign propaganda and disinformation operations against the U.S. and other countries
Seems like the bill -- which was part of the National Defense Authorization Act -- itself said that the money should come from the Pentagon. So how am I conflating things?
edit: Also worth noting that these organizations did not just start laying off people this year. Nearly every year, or two years, these organizations have big layoffs. Here's Buzzfeed from late 2017: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/29/buzzfeed-layoffs-restructuring.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/29/buzzfeed-layoffs-restructuri...
- creaghpatr 8y ago>Tillerson’s decision comes after POLITICO reported that he was holding off on using the money despite the desire of Republicans and Democrats to see it spent. >Almost $20 million of the $60 million was already in the State Department’s coffers and will be released to the center's officials to fight propaganda by terrorist groups such as the Islamic State. Tillerson also approved a request for a transfer of $40 million from the Pentagon to the center so it can fight state-sponsored propaganda. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/31/rex-tillerson-funding-russian-propaganda-242224 https://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/31/rex-tillerson-fund... Both the Pentagon money and the original S.3274 amount were authorized, albeit after some foot dragging by Tillerson. That would seem to undercut my speculation that it went and was spent by news orgs, we'd have to figure out who the GEC's non-governmental partners were/are. I'm not sure how to look that up.
- creaghpatr 8y agoIt gets weirder, the money was released but then maybe not? In any case, I'm gonna go ahead and guess my original theory was wrong. https://toinformistoinfluence.com/2018/09/23/global-engagement-center-lacks-financing-and-mandate/ https://toinformistoinfluence.com/2018/09/23/global-engageme...