Russian-sponsored agents funneled money to U.S. environmental organizations in an attempt to portray energy companies in a negative way and disrupt domestic energy markets. Upon discovering that Russia may have exploited American social media platforms to accomplish its disruptive objectives, the Committee broadened the scope of its investigation. On September 26, 2017, the Committee requested data from Facebook and Twitter as part of this expanded investigation.

You would think that honest members of the media who have been obsessing over a few Facebook ads as evidence of sinister Russian control over our politics would pay attention to real and substantial evidence that we are being manipulated by them. Such this extensively-documented report from the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology:

Documents that the American social media companies produced for the Committee confirmed that Russian agents were exploiting American social media platforms in an effort to disrupt domestic energy markets, suppress research and development of fossil-fuels, and stymie efforts to expand the use of natural gas. Subsequent to the Committee’s initial request, media revelations indicated that Russian operatives, “intent on exploiting existing divisions and social movements in the United States,” had in fact sought to influence U.S. energy markets by exploiting American social media platforms. According to the media report, Russian agents exploited Instagram by “shar[ing] images related to Native American social and political issues—including the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.” Moreover, many of the Russian-linked accounts targeted “highly visible tension points” in America, including “protests against pipelines.”

The Russians have a clear and direct interest in blocking development of energy resources in the United States, because our increasing production of oil and gas through fracking is lowering prices for Russia’s oil and gas exports, which are early the sole basis for earning foreign exchange. Outside of weapons systems, Russia produces very few products that can win export markets.

Joseph Bast of the Heartland Institute emails:

Many of us have been saying for years that communists are major supporters of left-wing environmental groups, and liberal reporters are being used as “useful idiots” to advance the Kremlin’s agenda. Here is proof we were right all along. Would there even be an environmental movement without the support of communists? And tell me again why “Earth Day” is celebrated on Lenin’s birthday...

Every time Democrats attempt to portray Russia as somehow controlling President Trump, Russia’s support of environmental groups ought to be thrown in their faces. The point that President Trump’s full-throated support for increased oil and gas production is squeezing the Russian economy in a vice is hard to argue against. It may require 2 or 3 sentences to lay out, of course, which means that in talking head situations on cable news, the Democrat will try to talk over or ignore the point. But pithy responses such as “Putin and the greenies are on the same side, and he is funding them” can carry the day, if repeated often enough.