The local mayoral race in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has recently taken a sharp, negative turn as the influence of political action committees (PACs) begins to overshadow the candidates themselves. A group calling itself “Government That Works” has launched a series of advertisements targeting candidate Christine Erickson, specifically accusing her of being a “data center sell out” who would supposedly hike electricity rates for local residents. These ads, which rely on inflammatory messaging, represent a departure from the typical tone of municipal elections, where residents often expect a more personal, localized focus rather than the kind of high-stakes, aggressive campaigning…

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the Kremlin launched a sophisticated disinformation campaign to justify its military aggression. Russian officials, quickly joined by voices in Beijing, alleged that the U.S. government was operating a clandestine network of bioweapons laboratories across Ukraine. This narrative, while rooted in the well-documented playbook of authoritarian regimes—which often deflect from their own transparency failures by leveling baseless accusations against others—was not confined to foreign state media. Instead, it was eagerly adopted and amplified by high-profile American political figures, who translated these cynical distortions for a domestic audience, effectively laundering hostile foreign propaganda…