Allegations of spreading “fake news” and propagandizing for Russia are being laughed off by Dr. Ron Paul, founder of the Ron Paul Institute. He tells RT “it’s flattering” to receive so much attention from a recent Washington Post article.
Calling the accusation “a bit ironic,” Paul chalked it up to “sour grapes” on the part of those who had hoped for a different outcome in the presidential election.
The Washington Post article, published November 24, cited PropOrNot, an anonymous website listing more than a dozen websites, including the Ron Paul Institute, as "sources" or "repeaters" of "Russian influence operations."
“The mainstream media and the establishment lost this election,” Paul told RT America’s Ed Schultz on Monday. Paul also stressed that his own program, The Liberty Report, had remained neutral in its campaign and election coverage.
“They've been as involved in fake news and fake stories as anyone else,” he added, calling the charge “pretty amazing.”
“I'm very concerned about fake news stories,” Paul said, adding that “where the fake news comes from is our own government,” including through official economic reports and in pushing for war.
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Paul noted that the subject of Russian meddling in the US election coming up during the debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was nothing more than “politics as usual,” and now that Trump has been elected the next president, some in the media are “looking for scapegoats.”
“The ones who are charging us with listening to what Russia tells us to say,” Paul said, “they've lost all credibility.”
The most important thing that President-elect Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin can do now is to “believe in and practice diplomacy,” Paul said.
“The two of them could certainly do some talking, and let the public know where they stand on the issues.”