Who Is Trevian Kutti? Kanye West's Publicist Pressured Poll Worker To Help Donald Trump Win Georgia
Ruby Freeman, a 62-year-old Georgia poll worker, has been the target of intense vitriol from Donald Trump and his supporters, who have peddled bogus charges that she was involved in massive election fraud in a state that President Joe Biden carried by over 11,000 votes.
But the efforts to threaten and discredit Freeman have gone further than many might imagine.
Reuters this week exclusively reported two stories that Trevian Kutti, a publicist for musician Kanye West, went to Freeman's home to pressure her into baselessly confessing to false charges of tampering with elections results.
Kutti said she was sent by an unidentified “high-profile individual,” with the urgent message to confess to voter-fraud allegations within 48 hours or go to jail.
Kutti's actions were caught on video by a police officer's bodycam. The video was shown Friday on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show."
Wary of strangers due to several days of threatening phone calls, Freeman called the police and asked a neighbor to accompany her to talk to Kutti at a police station.
“I cannot say what specifically will take place,” Kutti was heard telling Freeman in the recording. “I just know that it will disrupt your freedom ... and the freedom of one or more of your family members.”
Threats were not new to Freeman. An FBI agent had urged Freeman to flee her home of 20 years, stressing that it might not be safe. She has also continually changed her appearance to avoid being recognized. Many of her friends no longer speak to her out of fear, Reuters reported.
Freeman also recalled when an FBI agent called her and urged her to leave her longtime home because it wasn’t safe.
But the conversation with Kutti seems particularly distressing. Kutti was heard telling Freeman in what sounded like a reassuring tone that, "We would like to let you know first and foremost, we have put in placement a way to move you, to secure you, from what may be authorized over the next 48 hours."
She also references a "Black progressive crisis manager," whom she said is "very high level with authoritative powers to get you protection that you need."
Both Freeman and Kutti are Black.
Kutti also is heard saying there are "federal people who are involved here."
There is little information about Kutti. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has worked as a director for TrevianWorldWide since 2009.
Kutti, 51, posted a statement on Instagram that appeared to challenge the Reuters report.
The post reads: “I demand interested parties obtain and release the unedited version of the body cam footage IN ITS ENTIRETY. Do that.”
Kutti's Instagram bio reads: "The Majority’s Voice; Political Sharp Shooter; 4:20 Legislative Gladiator; and Media Manipulator."
Kutti worked on West's failed presidential bid in 2020. The Washington Post reported in August 2020 that West's campaign included many Republican operatives, suggesting that the motivation behind his campaign was to siphon Black votes from the Democratic nominee.
Along with West, who legally changed his name to Ye, Kutti is a former publicist for singer R. Kelly. In September, a federal jury found Kelly guilty of racketeering, bribery and multiple sexually related charges.
A report from the Chicago Sun-Times in August 2020 cited how Kutti had gotten involved in Illinois politics. The Sun-Times also noted that Kutti is a Nebraska native who moved to Chicago.
Kutti worked on the failed 2020 campaign of Republican Angela Stanton-King, a Black woman who sought the Georgia U.S. House seat that was open after the death of civil rights leader John Lewis, a Democrat. Stanton-King is a convicted felon, who was pardoned by Trump in February 2020.
Many of Kutti's Instagram posts contain political commentary on recent events such as the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. She is a Trump supporter and has used the hashtag #magaforever.
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