Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

February 11, 2023 at 5:30 PM

Fwd: This email was written by AI.

Now that we’ve got your attention, you’ve probably heard about chatbots by now.   John, Ok. Now that we’ve got your attention, you’ve probably heard about chatbots by now. If you haven’t, here’s a quick summary: Chatbots are a language model tool that gathers data to respond to your pro…

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  Keith Presley · [email protected]

February 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM

💉Vaccine Side Effects?💉

If you’re on social media, you’ve likely seen countless videos of people exhibiting supposed side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.   You are receiving this message because of your past support for national security-focused candidates and causes. The George Washington Initiative i…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

February 4, 2023 at 6:48 PM

Trump Reinstated on Facebook

The future of our democracy is at risk due to a lack of accountability for bad faith actors like Donald Trump.   You are receiving this message because of your past support for national security-focused candidates and causes. The George Washington Initiative is an information civil de…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

January 31, 2023 at 10:22 PM

a quick note for John

If we want to truly disrupt our culture of disinformation in politics and science, we need bigger solutions and all the support we can get.   You are receiving this message because of your past support for national security-focused candidates and causes. The George Washington Initiative i…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

January 31, 2023 at 12:21 AM

Two things →

You can help us grow our initiative and play a role in combating dis- and misinformation here and abroad.   John, Two things: 1. Our end-of-month fundraising deadline is tomorrow. 2. You can help us grow our initiative and play a role in combating dis- and misinformation befor…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

January 28, 2023 at 4:30 PM

[URGENT] The threat no one’s talking about

As dis- and misinformation instigate fear and anger, legislators will continue to expand the list of “divisive” topics in the classroom leaving students at a disadvantage.   John, Banning books. Banning essential history courses from public schools. Withholding funding from …

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

January 27, 2023 at 5:30 PM

Over 100...

At the root of legislative action against the LGBTQ+ community – and the trans community in particular – are misrepresentations and disinformation.   John, In the first month of 2023, over 100 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed in state legislatures across the country. These bi…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

January 25, 2023 at 9:43 PM

Your responses →

Thanks to dedicated supporters like you, our work has grown significantly in the past year. And we plan to keep it up.   John, There isn’t a single issue that has not been derailed by the spread of disinformation. Last week, we asked you what disinformation you see online and h…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

November 16, 2022 at 12:06 AM

A Referendum on Election Deniers

With over 200 election-denying candidates running for office across the country, democracy was literally on the ballot this year.   John, In a whirlwind year rife with dis- and misinformation, last week’s election proved to be a referendum on election-denying candidates. With …

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

November 7, 2022 at 8:32 PM

Keep an eye out for conspiracy theories on Election Day.

It’s up to us to challenge dis- and misinformation during and after the election.   John, Election Day is a fruitful time for conspiracy theories to take hold. We saw how a number of lies surrounding the legitimacy of the 2020 election led to violence at the Capitol and impacte…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

November 6, 2022 at 5:01 PM

Meeting this moment with urgency.

As President Joe Biden said in his speech, the current threats to our democracy were spurred on by lies.   Biden: "In this moment, we have to confront those lies with the truth. The very future of our nation depends on it." CONTRIBUTE John, Dis-…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

October 19, 2022 at 10:50 PM

Devastating Impacts

At the George Washington Initiative, we’re testing innovative technology to target and combat dis- and misinformation before it has a chance to spread.   Covid death rates are higher among Republicans than Democrats, mounting evidence shows “A study in June published i…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

October 18, 2022 at 10:51 PM

DisMis is shaping crucial policy

As we approach the midterm elections, your support is more important than ever.   John, FIRST: Falsehoods like the Big Lie gained traction on anonymous social channels. THEN: DisMis became mainstream. NOW: DisMis shapes policy on fundamental issues like voting rights. …

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  The George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

October 14, 2022 at 10:30 PM

How to spot DisMis.

Election season coupled with the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this a volatile time for DisMis to spread.   John, Election season coupled with the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this a volatile time for DisMis to spread. The George Washington Initiative is working to combat the sp…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

October 12, 2022 at 10:20 PM

This is what we’re up against.

Dis- and misinformation are showing no signs of stopping.   John, Bad faith foreign and domestic actors seeking to interfere with our elections are wasting no time spreading falsehoods. Take a look: Report: Conservative Newsmax peddles Jan. 6 misinformation - AP …

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  The George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

October 11, 2022 at 10:31 PM

Weaponized information

Your contributions are crucial in combating this unseen enemy.   CONTRIBUTE John, Now that we’re less than one month away from Election Day, there is no shortage of dis- and misinformation online. Information on crucial issues like reproductiv…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

October 1, 2022 at 6:03 PM

Thank you for your support.

As we head into the final weeks before Election Day, work like ours is vital.   John, Thanks to your support, September was one of our most successful months yet. We were able to recruit over one thousand new volunteers and hosted our first symposium on dis- and misinformation. DisMis i…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 30, 2022 at 11:32 PM

Re: Midnight Deadline

Deadlines like these are important to helping us plan more exciting events.   FUNDRAISING DEADLINE: TONIGHT We are [34] contributions short. Will you help us fight DisMis and hit our fundraising goal? FIGHT DISMIS John, In case you missed it, we…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

September 30, 2022 at 3:02 PM

Dismiss DisMis

In our last major election, the relentless promotion of lies nearly cost us our democracy.   John, I know you’ve gotten a lot of emails from us this past week, but we have a major fundraising deadline tonight and we are falling short of our goal. So, I wanted to personally ask…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

September 30, 2022 at 12:01 AM

We’re falling behind

With only 40 days left until Election Day, dis- and misinformation will be out in full swing.   FUNDRAISING DEADLINE: TOMORROW We’re setting an ambitious fundraising goal of [100] contributions. CONTRIBUTE John, As you may have heard by now, we…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

September 29, 2022 at 12:00 AM

2 Days Away

With Election Day only a few weeks away, initiatives like ours are vital to protecting the integrity of our elections.   2 DAYS UNTIL END OF QUARTER DEADLINE We are [60] contributions away from our goal. CONTRIBUTE John, There’s no sugarcoating …

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  🚨Fundraising Alert 🚨 · [email protected]

September 28, 2022 at 12:31 AM

End of Quarter in 3 Days

We’re still a long way from our fundraising goal, but we know we can catch up.   3 DAYS UNTIL END-OF-QUARTER DEADLINE CONTRIBUTE John, The George Washington Initiative is coming up on a major end-of-quarter deadline in 3 days, so I wanted to shar…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

September 26, 2022 at 9:31 PM

A personal note

The George Washington Initiative was founded with a single purpose: to target and dismantle dis- and misinformation at its roots.   CONTRIBUTE John, As we approach our end-of-quarter deadline, I wanted to reach out personally to re-introduce our initiative. …

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 25, 2022 at 5:48 PM

Meme’ing the insurrection

What started as a fun internet trend, was quickly weaponized in the run-up to the 2016 election.   John, Dis- and misinformation is unique in its ability to evolve and adapt to its environment. As a phenomenon that has been strictly bound to the internet, DisMis has found a way…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 24, 2022 at 4:44 PM

this isn’t new(s)

At the height of the pandemic, these networks were responsible for promoting false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatment.   John, Misinformation spreads at an alarming rate, and while social media is largely to blame, top-rated networks like Fox News, Newsmax, and OAN ar…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

September 22, 2022 at 10:01 PM

Promoting information literacy

With dis- and misinformation rampant across the internet, information literacy is more important than ever.   John, With dis- and misinformation rampant across the internet, information literacy is more important than ever. That’s why the George Washington Initiative is develop…

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  The George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 21, 2022 at 11:32 PM

combating false voting claims

Our work to push back against dis- and misinformation is vital to upholding the integrity of our elections.   John, Election interference and misinformation continue to pose a grave threat to this year’s elections. And election officials are preparing to combat false claims ab…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 20, 2022 at 10:04 PM

Disrupting Health Disinformation

The George Washington Initiative is working tirelessly to develop the tools to target and dismantle DisMis ecosystems.   “Abortion Disinformation surges in Latino Communities” - Axios FIGHT BACK John, Months after the Supreme Court overturned R…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 19, 2022 at 11:33 PM

first line of defense

At the George Washington Initiative, we’re working on developing new technology to target and dismantle dis- and misinformation.   John, The George Washington Initiative is dedicated to pushing back against all types of dis- and misinformation. But as we continue to see DisMis …

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

September 18, 2022 at 6:02 PM

This isn’t new

Our symposium offered an illuminating conversation on the dangers of foreign and domestic DisMis, and what we can do to be the first line of defense.   John, Dis- and misinformation may be finding new ways to spread, but it isn’t new. The George Washington Initiative is one of …

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

September 17, 2022 at 10:30 PM

⏰TikTok Misinformation

Fighting dis- and misinformation has to be a priority.   TikTok search results riddled with misinformation - AP FIGHT BACK John, The decline of reliable local news has amplified false content on social media apps like Tiktok. According to a rece…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

September 14, 2022 at 11:15 PM

Climate Disinfo → Inaction on Climate

We’re ready to confront any and all types of dis- and misinformation.   John, As floods and heatwaves devastate cities across the world, dis- and misinformation continue to suppress action to effectively respond to the climate crisis. That’s why the George Washington Initiati…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 13, 2022 at 10:40 PM

An existential threat

The health of our democracy relies on a concerted effort to defend the integrity of our elections.   John, Dis- and misinformation pose an existential threat to our democracy. That’s why the George Washington Initiative is working to target and dismantle DisMis ecosystems. Wil…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 12, 2022 at 11:37 PM

midterms approaching

Disinformation surrounding the 2020 election has undoubtedly done significant damage to the credibility of our elections.   Voting machine tampering points to concern for fall election - AP FIGHT BACK John, With the midterm election rapidly appr…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

September 10, 2022 at 5:01 PM

We hit our August goal

Your continued support is vital in fueling our work.   John, The George Washington Initiative has been working tirelessly to deliver on our mission to combat disinformation. Thanks to grassroots contributions from supporters like you, we surpassed our fundraising goal in August…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

September 9, 2022 at 8:36 PM

In case you missed it:

“A lie and a fact shouldn’t get equal billing.” - Greg Schultz   John, Last week, we were joined by experts in the field of disinformation – John Sipher, Nina Jankowicz, Greg Schultz, and our very own Phil Ehr – for an enlightening discussion on dis- and misinformation. Here ar…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

August 31, 2022 at 11:20 PM

let’s reach our fundraising goal

We are working nonstop to create a comprehensive strategy to take offensive action against DisMis.   John, I wanted to reach out personally before tonight’s midnight deadline to invite you to support the George Washington Initiative. We are a team of experts in our fields who…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

August 31, 2022 at 2:20 PM

⏰ Deadline tonight! ⏰

DisMis ecosystems were created by people and people will be the solution.    ⏰ DEADLINE TONIGHT ⏰ CONTRIBUTE John, Another major deadline for the George Washington Initiative is tonight, so I wanted to quickly check in and ask: will you rush in …

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

August 30, 2022 at 11:30 PM

our fundraising deadline

The George Washington Initiative is an information civil defense force working to defend truth and democracy by destabilizing DisMis ecosystems.   AUGUST FUNDRAISING DEADLINE: TOMORROW CONTRIBUTE John, Another fundraising deadline is upon us. Our…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

August 30, 2022 at 8:32 PM

I’ll see you on Thursday?

This is a great opportunity to hear from us at the George Washington Initiative on how you can get involved and fight back against DisMis.   John, Tickets are going fast to the George Washington Initiative’s Disinformation in US Politics - A GWI Symposium. I wanted to make sure…

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  Keith Presley · [email protected]

August 30, 2022 at 12:20 AM

Clock is ticking!

The George Washington Initiative’s mission is to prevent the spread of DisMis by taking offensive action.   AUGUST FUNDRAISING DEADLINE: 2 DAYS AWAY CONTRIBUTE John, Our end of month deadline is in TWO days and we need your support to help us re…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

August 29, 2022 at 8:20 PM

Will we see you there?

As we work to grow our initiative, we’d like to invite you to RSVP for a VIP ticket to our event, Disinformation in US Politics - A GWI Symposium,   John, The George Washington Initiative was founded with the mission to disrupt and degrade dis- and misinformation (DisMis) ecosy…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

August 26, 2022 at 11:51 PM

deadline approaching...

As election season heats up, we want to be prepared to identify the ongoing threat of DisMis and we need your help.   John, The George Washington Initiative is approaching another major deadline and we’re still not halfway to our fundraising goal. We’re committed to targeting…

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  Keith Presley · [email protected]

August 24, 2022 at 11:50 PM

Following Up

You won’t want to miss this virtual (and free) event, so grab your tickets now.   John, I wanted to follow up on Phil’s email to make sure you got your invite to the George Washington Initiative’s Disinformation in US Politics - A GWI Symposium featuring guest speakers Greg Sc…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

August 23, 2022 at 10:34 PM

A global threat

Democracies around the world have felt the impact of unchecked disinformation propagating online.   John, As long as disinformation remains a threat to democracies around the world, we must be persistent in our goal to destabilize DisMis ecosystems. The George Washington Init…

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  George Washington Initiative · [email protected]

August 21, 2022 at 6:03 PM

Unfolding Disinformation

DisMis ecosystems are made up of people, and people are the solution.   John, The recent news cycle is another sobering reminder of why taking strategic action against dis- and misinformation (DisMis) matters. FIRST: The FBI conducted an authorized search warrant of former pre…

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  Phil Ehr · [email protected]

August 20, 2022 at 12:01 AM

Links to disinformation 🔗

As Election Day draws closer, DisMis will only intensify.   John, Coordinated link sharing is one of the most prominent ways disinformation spreads. It’s the culprit behind disinformation around the overturn of Roe v. Wade and what continues to motivate calls for violence again…

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  Brooke Ledesma · [email protected]

August 19, 2022 at 1:33 AM

Watch out for DisMis

The George Washington Initiative is working to address our DisMis crisis and safeguard our democracy.   John, With DisMis occupying nearly every corner of the internet, it can be difficult to spot. As we get closer to election season, we must remain vigilant for false or misle…

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  Commander Phil Ehr · [email protected]

August 17, 2022 at 8:48 PM

You’re invited!

I’ve never been one to back down, and that’s why I am shining a light on the threats we are facing.   John, I started the George Washington Initiative this year because I know that disinformation is the greatest domestic threat that the United States faces today. From eroding t…

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  Keith Presley · [email protected]

August 16, 2022 at 12:58 AM

Open before midnight →

We’ve had a busy couple of months, and your contributions have gone a long way in ensuring we have the proper tools to address our DisMis crisis.   John, We’re halfway through another month at the George Washington Initiative, so I’m reaching out to ask, will you rush in a con…

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