I have been wondering where the “Elon paid these accounts” has come from. It does not seem to be reported on anywhere from a cursory search, but it’s being attached to this story like gospel. As if the actual story isn’t horrifying enough.

It really makes it evident that people are vulnerable to manipulation by social media regardless of their political standing.

It does raise the question of who is financing these accounts. Is it one of those skeevy conservative thinktanks that writes policies for politicians to rubber stamp? Is it the Republican party itself? Is it financed by the actual governments of the countries these accounts appear to be from as a way to try to encourage policy that benefits them? Is it the democratic party trying to create an easier target to attack (or even more insidiously, to create a more formidable opponent to lose elections to?) or is it just teenaged trolls trying to mess with people across the world for shits and giggles?