Evelyn N. Farkas was deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia from 2012 to 2015. She is a Democratic candidate to represent New York’s 17th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2017, I cautioned that any candidate for office who was outspoken about Russia ought to worry about Russian interference in their election. At the time, I had no idea I would be one of those candidates. But this month, I saw my face plastered on a screen behind Fox News host Tucker Carlson as he, not for the first time, made false statements about me.
U.S. national security experts warned years ago that Russia would meddle in our 2020 elections. The reality is worse: President Trump’s supporters are mirroring Russian tactics.
In 2017, I was attacked by the far right as well as Russian actors after speaking publicly as President Obama’s deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia; today, the campaign against me appears to be domestic, albeit aided by Russian trolls. The political stakes are higher for all Americans this year, not just me. The tactics behind these attacks reveal a frightening development for American democracy.
