It's almost assuredly was. This is one of the oldest games in the political playbook. Get compromising information on a powerful person (the source of power being through either wealth, social influence, or authoritative power) and then use that information to slowly milk that individual for what it is you desire be it money, a mouthpiece, political favors etc.
The blackmailed money become a source of dark funds so that these and other operations can be funded off the financial radar of the various oversight mechanisms. The Iran Contra Affair in the 80s is an example of this. Get a stable of wealthy people each kicking in a few million here and there each year and you suddenly have a source of dark money flowing into illicit intelligence agency operations for years.
The blackmailed social influence can be used to spread propaganda and social messaging. The rampant pedophilia in Hollywood is an example of how the Chinese are able to dictate our culture through traditional means (TV/Movies/ and books to a lesser extent) as well as emergent means (private equity ownership of "woke" brands".
And finally the blackmail of authoritative figures such as our elected and non-elected civil servants as well as our judiciary and military brass can be used to craft disruptive domestic policy as well as favorable foreign policy to those doing the blackmailing. Look at China as an emergent power. Both Democrats AND Republicans clamored and fought over who would get to sell out American jobs the fastest. Was it the average American that saw the benefit of this off shoring? No, the Average American saw their good paying job evaporate and get sent over seas while they had to purchase now inferior Chinese made goods at a cheaper price but at a higher replacement rate and with less income. This is why incomes are quoted as average and at the household level to hide the wholesale financial gutting America has suffered.
It's almost assuredly was. This is one of the oldest games in the political playbook. Get compromising information on a powerful person (the source of power being through either wealth, social influence, or authoritative power) and then use that information to slowly milk that individual for what it is you desire be it money, a mouthpiece, political favors etc.
The blackmailed money become a source of dark funds so that these and other operations can be funded off the financial radar of the various oversight mechanisms. The Iran Contra Affair in the 80s is an example of this. Get a stable of wealthy people each kicking in a few million here and there each year and you suddenly have a source of dark money flowing into illicit intelligence agency operations for years.
The blackmailed social influence can be used to spread propaganda and social messaging. The rampant pedophilia in Hollywood is an example of how the Chinese are able to dictate our culture through traditional means (TV/Movies/ and books to a lesser extent) as well as emergent means (private equity ownership of "woke" brands".
And finally the blackmail of authoritative figures such as our elected and non-elected civil servants as well as our judiciary and military brass can be used to craft disruptive domestic policy as well as favorable foreign policy to those doing the blackmailing. Look at China as an emergent power. Both Democrats AND Republicans clamored and fought over who would get to sell out American jobs the fastest. Was it the average American that saw the benefit of this off shoring? No, the Average American saw their good paying job evaporate and get sent over seas while they had to purchase now inferior Chinese made goods at a cheaper price but at a higher replacement rate and with less income. This is why incomes are quoted as average and at the household level to hide the wholesale financial gutting America has suffered.