A deceptive website, gopdallas2026.com, designed to mimic the official online hub for the Republican National Committee's upcoming midterm convention, has been exposed. The site, which appeared prominently in search results for the event, was linked through digital forensics to TaskForce, a creative agency founded by Yosi Sergant, a progressive strategist known for commissioning the iconic 'Hope' poster for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Sergant also held positions in the Obama administration.
The Republican opposition research firm that uncovered the link provided its findings to the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity. The firm stated that the website was "very clearly" constructed by individuals associated with TaskForce. The motive, according to an investigator, was likely to "undermine the convention effort, confuse attendees or observers, or perhaps seed disinformation regarding the event."
The fake website offered misleading information about the convention, which is scheduled to open in Dallas on September 9. It presented a list of potential speakers, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had no knowledge of being included. Several other individuals named on the list also confirmed they were not attending the convention. In contrast, the RNC's official site, gopconvention.com, lists a two-day schedule with no named speakers.
Furthermore, the fake site advertised a "White Glove Experience" VIP package, promising luxury accommodations, dining reservations, and exclusive access. The RNC has stated that no such VIP packages are offered, and attendees can only gain entry through a lottery system. The site also included a fake media portal for press credentials.
The website gopdallas2026.com was registered on July 7. Digital forensics also linked TaskForce to other anti-Republican websites, including BannonIsRight.com and Uglyf***.org, the latter of which is described as a platform to attack former White House aide Stephen Miller. Source code from several pages on Uglyf***.org identifies Simon Isaacs, chief executive officer of TaskForce and a close associate of Sergant, as the owner. Isaacs has not responded to requests for comment.
Following inquiries from the Daily Mail on Thursday evening, the gopdallas2026.com site was altered to link to the Department of Justice's website concerning Epstein files. Sergant has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
TaskForce has a history of involvement in Democratic political events. The agency worked on the "Truth to Power" exhibition during the 2016 Democratic National Convention and produced "Into Action 2024" during the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Sergant founded TaskForce in 2010, inspired by the Obama campaign.
The RNC National Press Secretary, Natalie Baldassarre, stated that supporters should instead use the official domain, gopconvention.com, and indicated that the committee was unaware of the fake website until contacted.
