Sabotage of the American elections? Musk-affiliated group behind disinformation against Harris, ‘Progress 2028’ manifesto: report

A controversial “Progress 2028” manifesto masquerading as a progressive platform from Vice President Kamala Harris has been exposed as a misleading fake document allegedly funded by conservative dark money groups with ties to Elon Musk, according to a report by the watchdog group Open Secrets.

Progress 2028, which presents itself as a liberal vision for America, is said to be part of an initiative by Building America’s Future, a conservative dark money network that reportedly has support from Musk.

The fake manifesto has been amplified by targeted Facebook ads that distort Harris’ policy views on issues such as immigration, health care and gun control.

According to AFP, Open Secrets describes the project as a calculated attempt to mislead and possibly alienate democratic voters.

Anna Massoglia, a researcher at Open Secrets, noted that the initiative “really tries to undermine Harris by spreading divisive messages and misleading narratives under the guise of being an ally of Harris.”

Examples of this strategy include claims that Harris supports a mandatory nationwide gun buyback, taxpayer-funded health care for “undocumented immigrants,” and giving minors access to gender-affirming care without “parental intervention” — none of which align with Harris’ official policy for the 2024 Elections.

In addition to misleading domestic audiences, the Progress 2028 campaign is also involved in targeting specific voter groups with conflicting messages, the group said.

Facebook ads that say “Leave a comment to thank Kamala” and link to the Progress 2028 website reportedly promote Harris as pro-Israel among Jewish voters, while presenting her as anti-Israel among Arab-Americans voters. According to the report, this tactic could sway opinions in states with crucial Arab-American and Jewish demographics, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Google records show the ads were paid for by the Future Coalition PAC, which has received millions in funding from Building America’s Future, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Speaking to AFP, James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, called this tactic a form of “voter suppression.”

“If the same group puts out ads for two different constituencies with conflicting messages, that is disinformation,” he said.

According to the report, Progress 2028’s ads remain active on Meta’s platform because they do not meet the company’s criteria for its inauthentic behavior policy, Meta said in a statement to US Media.

(With input from agencies)