Astroturf Alert

As July came to a close, I reported on the latest group of people to throw its weight behind Kamala Harris and her quest for the Oval Office. That group goes by the moniker "Republicans Against Trump." The organization has launched billboard social media campaigns featuring common-sense conservatives and independents voicing their opposition to #45 becoming #47. Oddly enough, they all spout the same talking points that progressives have been regurgitating ad infinitum since Trump took his famous escalator ride. 

At the time, several readers opined that the faithful members of Republicans Against Trump were probably not Republicans at all but Democrat operatives. Watching the ad and reading the billboards and the testimonials on the website, it would be hard, if not impossible, to argue otherwise. After all, if your party controlled every aspect of the media, you would be a fool not to take advantage of it.  

While we have no definitive proof that Republicans Against Trump is a Trojan Horse full of Democrats, a similar organization, "Republicans for Harris," has come under scrutiny for being not only made up of Democrats but also possibly the brainchild of the Harris campaign.

We are Republicans.

We’re proud to support Kamala Harris because Donald Trump is dangerous, deranged, and weird.

And we’re sharing stories from Republicans across the country about why they support Kamala.

— Republicans for Harris (@RepsForHarris) August 10, 2024

First, the post is juvenile and awkwardly worded. It looks as if it was crafted by a junior intern at the Harris campaign or a very cheap AI program. Second, it uses the word "weird," which has become known as the Democrat adjective of choice when describing the opposition. That, of course, would normally be nothing more than conjecture. 

However, Maine Wire has uncovered a fun fact: Pete Mills, a registered Democrat and brother of Democrat Maine Governor Janet Mills and the former executive director of the Maine Turnpike Authority, is one of the honchos at Republicans for Harris. What's more, the outlet has secretly recorded audio from a citizen journalist, in which Mills states that the operation is the creation of one Amy Cookson, a member of Harris' campaign staff.

Oh, look. Seems "Republicans For Harris" is a scam set up by HER campaign to make it seem like scores of GOP voters are flocking to her.

Can you say "The Lincoln Project"?

h/t Maine Wire pic.twitter.com/jPFd0Tz7ZC

— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) August 11, 2024

Maine Wire reported:

In an email sent around Thursday, Cookson bragged about the success of the “Republicans for Harris” ploy in getting local media coverage — an email chain that included a list of coverage from dozens of other states for similar efforts.

 The email suggests that the Harris campaign centrally orchestrated a series of press releases to make it appears as though a groundswell of prominent Republicans had announced support for Harris. (sic)

While this particular episode occurred in the Pine Tree State, when one couples that with the battleground efforts of Republicans against Trump, the game seems to be afoot—or at least a' turf. This raises an interesting question: With the support of the press, celebrities, social media, Gen Z, millennials, and dyed-in-the-wool Democrats, why on earth does the Harris campaign feel the need to create so many fake Republicans?