It's certainly disheartening to hear about these kinds of goings-on.  Influence peddlers attempting to sway public opinion for this candidate or that candidate.  Nixon did it brilliantly through his machine only to have it revealed.  Dirty Tricks, it was.  Now we hear about those pesky Russians paying American companies, no less, to spread disinformation (fake news) to discredit one candidate while supporting the Barking Dog.  Shame on them.  Shame on Facebook and Google for providing a forum for such B.S.  But when I really sit and think about it, hasn't America (Dems as well as GOP) been doing such things for decades?  Is it possible that America has been influencing other countries; putting those friendly to US interests only to take them out when they stop being so friendly?  Did the US not provide Bin Laden with arms to fight the Russians in Afghanistan?  Aren't there countless other examples of the US meddling in other countries' affairs?  All in the names of promoting democracy?