MSNBC "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" - Transcript: Interview with Jim Himes
Interview
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O`DONNELL: In March, State Department officials told "The Wall Street Journal" that "Russian interference did not end with the election. Russian intelligence agencies have mounted a campaign to undermine confidence in Pfizer and other western vaccines using online publications that in recent months have questioned the vaccines` development and safety, U.S. officials said."
Yesterday, The New York Times reported, "The scheme appears to be part of a secretive industry that security analysts and American officials say is exploding in scale, disinformation for hire. Private firms are selling services once conducted principally by intelligence agencies. They sow discord, meddle in elections, seed false narratives and push viral conspiracies, mostly on social media and they offer clients something precious, deniability."
Joining us now Congressman Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut and a member of the House Intelligence Committee. Thank you very much for joining us tonight, Congressman Himes. What is the incentive in disinformation about the Pfizer vaccine?
REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): Well Lawrence -- (INAUDIBLE) destabilizes the west (INAUDIBLE). That is a big metaphor for what is happening right now with vaccine (INAUDIBLE).
And then, you know, the other element to this is that, you know, (INAUDIBLE) develop their own vaccine and it is not bad for them to create doubts about whether the western (INAUDIBLE) Pfizer and Moderna are as effective. So, I mean that is the motivation.
But I would point out that in some ways, the Russian activities are the easier (INAUDIBLE) relative to domestic misinformation, right.
We can go after the Russians. We can use all the traditional tools of diplomacy. We can do cyber operations (INAUDIBLE).
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HIMES: But what is much more challenging is that over the course of this disinformation, it is domestic, you know. Old Uncle Bill who has a theory that he read on Facebook is entitled to full first amendment rights. That is where it is more challenging (ph) to deal with what can be lethal disinformation.
O`DONNELL: Congressman Jim Himes, thank you very much for joining our discussion tonight. Really appreciate it.
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