Associated Press, East Palestine and the Russian Bogeyman

The February 3, 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio soon became one of the biggest lightning rods for discussion of the US’ downward spiral on the internet. The coverage of the disaster (or lack thereof) sparked passionate arguments from both the left and the right, each taking radically different approaches to the event. A left-wing analysis to the derailment and its coverage showed a complete depoliticization of the issue and the real-life effects it’s having on the residents in the area. The right-wing used it to claim a persecution complex, with Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk saying it was proof there’s a “war on white people.” The fact the Biden administration and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg delayed in responding to the disaster did not help the quell the narrative.

In fact, the residents are still dealing with the toxic after-effects of the Norfolk Southern derailment, with levels of carcinogenic chemicals hundreds of times greater than the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 exposure threshold. Put simply, while the event itself has been politicized into nonsense territory by the right, the people continue to suffer at the hands of an administration and a news cycle that has seemingly moved on.

That is, until March 18, 2023. That was the date that the Associated Press and reporter David Klepper felt the need to add a dash of Russiagate jingoism into the discussion, publishing the piece “Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate.” The tired trope that has poisoned every national political discussion in the USA since the 2016 Presidential election returns with a vengeance.

The opening of the article gives the game away in such a blatant display that it barely needs dissecting.

Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk’s new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility.

The article doesn’t link directly to any proof that these accounts were Russian propaganda agents, instead citing the London-based nonprofit “Reset,” which describes itself as “an initiative engaged in programmatic work on technology and democracy.” The article refers to senior advisor Felix Kartte about the dangers Russia poses to “US elections and in democracies around the world.” Framing this is a consequence due to the lack of a functioning product safety department at Twitter since Elon Musk took the reins.

Every single account discussed in the article is labelled “pro-Russian” or “pro-Moscow.” In one instance, an account said it’s surprised to be labeled “a spreader of Russian propaganda.” These accounts are described as “spewing anti-US propaganda” on a regular basis. Undeniably there are accounts with clear allegiances, such as the Twitter account Donbass Devushka. Others, like “Truth Puke” are labelled pro-Russian for sharing content from Russia Today. Presumably accounts regularly sharing BBC, CBC, or Al Jazeera articles are similarly maligned for their propagation of state-affiliated media. Regardless of your feelings on RT, this is hardly a metric to frame an account as a strictly pro-Russian voice.

Whether this constitutes as trying to “steer” the conversation towards Russian talking points is another matter. The only reference to the content produced by “Devushka” is a claim that the US is stealing humanitarian aid donated to Syria by China in the wake of the devastating earthquake. What does this have to do with East Palestine? If “Devushka” tweeted statements about the train crash, they’re absent from this piece. Additionally, the transgression associated with Truth Puke is posting Donald Trump’s comments on the train derailment with Russian subtitles. Is Trump not an American voice? Or has the implication of Russian interference stained his comments as well?

There is only two other mentions of pro-Russian accounts. This includes one that tried to “pick an online argument” with Ukraine’s defense department on the website. This, and another unnamed account, claim association with the Wagner Group. What were their comments on East Palestine? Your guess is as good as mine.

Regardless of what’s cited as examples (or what isn’t), messages posted by these mostly unnamed accounts are assumed by AP and Klepper to be doing the work of the Kremlin, especially if they aren’t explicitly pro-Russian. Their evidence amounts to nothing more than suggestive clues. The burden of proof rests solely on the shoulders of Reset’s word.

If you think I’m exaggerating, here’s the part where AP wrote that explicitly:

While researchers spotted clues suggesting some of the accounts are linked to coordinated efforts by Russian disinformation agencies, others were Americans, showing the Kremlin doesn’t always have to pay to get its message out.

That’s right, anyone who says anything remotely close to what Russia has said at any time is doing the bidding of the Kremlin.

Do I even need to dissect this?

The article states these accounts “claimed without evidence that authorities in Ohio were lying about the true impact of the chemical spill.” This sentiment constituting damning evidence of Russian meddling is puzzling, as there has been resistance by the EPA to test for toxic chemicals known as dioxins in the area. In regards to this, toxicologist Stephen Lester said “should have been one of the first things to look for.” Distrust of government agencies in this matter is not unreasonable, even if these accounts didn’t cite this expert. It’s also entirely possible that the claims made by these accounts have no basis in reality. However, this is not demonstrated as these claims are never brought up.

Therefore, the implication at the heart of this argument is that distrust of the US government is broadly associated with the Russian government. Ergo, any concerns against the US government that come from the train derailment are seen as Russian propaganda. This occurs even though the precise arguments made by these figures are barely dissected, or even stated in the piece. In one case where it is presented, the smoking gun about an account “spewing anti-US propaganda” is that they said Biden should offer support to Ohio before Ukraine.

The entire piece is truly baffling when analyzed in this framework. The funniest moment, played completely straight, is at the beginning of the section where AP states its attempts to contact these Twitter accounts. One of them, which goes unnamed, sent one reply to the reporter on Twitter before blocking them:

“Shut up.”

The East Palestine disaster is emblematic of a multitude of issues inside the US, from infrastructure, to labour rights, to environmental protections and to corporate greed. This tragedy displays the horrors with them all. It’s incredibly unreasonable to assume that distrust of the US government in this regard is doing the work of their political enemies. The unsaid conclusion is that those who question the motives and consequences of US policy are Kremlin agents, whether they know it or not.

With only a policy institute and a few explicitly pro-Russian accounts to attach the idea of American policy failures, AP has failed to demonstrate any link. Any political approach can be justified as amplifying the critique of another nation if twisted enough, and AP has attempted to do just that. This leaves the East Palestine disaster as just another front in the Russiagate culture war.