An FBI whistleblower has leaked documentation that reveals the agency is investigating so-called “misinformation” under “election crimes” ahead of the 2022 midterms.
The document was leaked to the undercover journalism group Project Veritas.
On Thursday, Project Veritas shared an image on social media that it claims is an internal memo from the FBI.
The leaked document from the FBI whistleblower appears to show the agency is classifying “misinformation” as an “election crime” in the run-up to midterm elections next month.
The document is titled “2022 Midterm Elections Social Media Analysis Cheat Sheet.”
According to the document, election crimes include eight sections that fall under federal jurisdiction, ranging from campaign finance to voter suppression.
The details inform federal authorities what to look out for leading up to the November 8 election.
However, federal authorities have included misinformation, which means false or misleading information spread mistakenly or unintentionally, as something that could lead to a full or grand jury investigation.
The document also lists “disinformation” as an election crime, which points to “false or inaccurate information intended to mislead others.”
“Disinformation campaigns on social media are used to deliberately confuse, trick, or upset the public,” the document reads.
According to the FBI’s website, “bad actors use various methods to spread disinformation about voting, such as social media platforms, texting, or peer-to-peer messaging applications on smartphones.
“They may provide misleading information about the time, manner, or place of voting.
“This can include inaccurate election dates or false claims about voting qualifications or methods, such as false information suggesting that one may vote by text, which is not allowed in any jurisdiction.”
BREAKING: From Project Veritas! FBI Whistleblower Leaks Document Showing Agency Targeting ‘Misinformation’ Under ‘Election Crimes’ Ahead of 2022 Midterm Elections!! pic.twitter.com/AXezUKLPzb
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) October 27, 2022
The Biden administration announced earlier this year that its Department of Homeland Security would create a Disinformation Governance Board.
The Board provoked a widespread backlash as many argues that it would crack down on freedom of speech in an unconstitutional and Orwellian move.
After facing massive opposition, federal authorities shut down the Disinformation Governance Board in August.
The move came more than three months after announcing a pause on the Board’s work.
