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Seen, Heard, Read...
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Stay informed with our curated collection of noteworthy updates and insights from the world of conspiracy theories. Uncover the latest trends, explore intriguing perspectives, and broaden your understanding. Delve into our recommended content that keeps you in the know.
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TULSI GABBARD. The former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. national intelligence chief, faced mounting criticism for her history of spreading conspiratorial narratives aligned with Moscow propaganda. On the day Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Gabbard claimed the conflict was provoked by the U.S. and NATO failing to address Moscow’s security concerns over Ukraine’s potential NATO membership. Gabbard also urged Ukraine to adopt neutrality in the name of the “spirit of aloha”. Her remarks, echoing Kremlin rhetoric, were seized upon by Russian state TV, which referred to Gabbard as "our girlfriend" and a "Russian agent." Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation and others have accused her of being on the Kremlin's payroll.
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Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News (screenshot 11/09/2024)
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Gabbard has also been a vocal proponent of a debunked conspiracy theory about U.S.-funded biological research facilities in Ukraine, which originated from Russian disinformation. She suggested that over 25 "bio labs" in Ukraine posed a risk of spreading deadly pathogens if compromised. In a 2020 post Gabbard said: "Like COVID, these pathogens know no borders. If they are inadvertently or purposely breached or compromised, they will quickly spread all throughout Europe, the United States and the rest of the world, causing untold suffering and death." Gabbard also appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show to discuss claims of Ukraine developing bio weapons, clips of which were played on Russian state television. While Gabbard later clarified that she was not referencing biological weapons, her remarks lent credibility to a false narrative promoted by Moscow to justify its invasion. These actions, combined with her calls for Ukraine to adopt neutrality and her claim that the U.S. seeks regime change in Moscow, have solidified perceptions of her as a Kremlin sympathizer.
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Authoritarian-fan Gabbard faced bipartisan backlash for secretly meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, a Kremlin-client dictator and war criminal. Her ongoing defense of Assad, coupled with her dismissal of U.S. efforts in Syria as "regime change wars," has drawn condemnation from figures across the political spectrum. Hillary Clinton once labeled her a "Russian asset," and Republican Senator Mitt Romney accused her of "parroting fake Russian propaganda" during the Ukraine crisis (Sources: The Times, November 14, 2024; MSN, November 14, 2024).
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MATT GAETZ. Donald Trump has selected a Florida Congressman under investigation for sex trafficking of minors and fond of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories including Holocaust denial as his nominee for Attorney General. Prominent Jewish organizations have condemned the choice, urging the President-elect to withdraw Gaetz’ name, and called on the Senate to block the nomination if Trump proceeds. "At a time of historic levels of antisemitism, we need someone at the Department of Justice who will combat hate, not enable it," the American Jewish Committee stated. “Matt Gaetz’s troubling history with antisemitic rhetoric makes him unfit for this role.”
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Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), highlighted Gaetz's record, calling it a "long history of trafficking in antisemitism." Greenblatt pointed to Gaetz’s defense of the Great Replacement Theory, an anti-migrant, white supremacist conspiracy, and his invocation of the antisemitic trope that "Jews killed Jesus" when explaining his opposition to the Antisemitism Awareness Act. Greenblatt concluded, “He should not hold any high office, let alone one responsible for upholding justice.”
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Gaetz faced widespread backlash in 2018 after inviting Holocaust denier Charles Johnson to the State of the Union address by the President at the Congress. Johnson had publicly minimized the Holocaust, claiming only 250,000 Jews died of illness rather than acknowledging the genocide of six million. Both the ADL and the Republican Jewish Coalition condemned the invitation, with the ADL describing it as “deeply offensive.” When criticized, Gaetz doubled down by attacking the ADL, labeling it a “racist organization” after it called for Fox News to fire Tucker Carlson over his promotion of the Great Replacement Theory. In another controversial moment, Gaetz used a 2023 House Judiciary Committee hearing to challenge Pamela Nadell, a Jewish Studies scholar, about criticism of Jewish philanthropist George Soros. Gaetz has frequently targeted Soros, a Holocaust survivor and liberal donor, accusing him of funding the so-called "migrant caravan" during the 2018 midterms—an assertion steeped in conspiracy theories often linked to antisemitic tropes.
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ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate the Kennedy known for his anti-vaccine activism and promotion of conspiracy theories, as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The choice of RFK Jr., a prominent skeptic of vaccines and proponent of pro-Kremlin views on Russia’s invasion of and war with Ukraine, has already sparked significant backlash. His appointment would require Senate confirmation and is expected to face fierce opposition.
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“Donald Trump’s decision to nominate an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist to lead HHS is deeply troubling and poses a serious threat to public health,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington. She warned the move could undermine decades of progress in areas such as vaccines, reproductive health, and medical research. Kennedy’s views, particularly his repeated and debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to autism, have long alarmed the medical community.
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Kennedy has also delved into numerous other conspiracy theories, including claims about fluoride in drinking water. He recently declared that Trump would prioritize removing fluoride, which he called "an industrial waste," citing unsupported links to various health issues. Health experts, however, maintain that fluoride is safe and essential for preventing tooth decay, a stance supported by decades of scientific research.
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In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump praised Kennedy’s anti-establishment stance, claiming he would help protect Americans from harmful substances in pharmaceuticals and food. “For too long, public health has been controlled by the industrial food complex and deceptive pharmaceutical companies,” Trump wrote, pledging that Kennedy would restore trust and transparency in government health agencies (Sources: The Guardian, November 14, 2024; CNN, November 14, 2024).
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AMSTERDAM ANTISEMITIC RIOTS. Notoriously antisemitic far right Polish Member of the European Parliament Grzegorz Braun incited more pogroms during the European Parliament debate about the Amsterdam attacks on Jews on November 8. Grzegorz, who extinguished candles on a menorah lit for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah at the Polish parliament last December, said: "I want to express my gratitude to all the football fans of Europe who make it openly visible that they don't accept Jewish racism. Israeli football hooligans invaded Amsterdam last week. Zionism is Nazism. Goyim (gentiles) of all the countries unite!". The overtly antisemitic remarks prompted the American Jewish Committee, (AJC) Europe to call on the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to sanction Braun "who has a long history of antisemitism". "It is equally regrettable that Robert Szile who was overseeing the parliamentary debate on the attack on Israelis and Jews, did not interfere," the AJC Europe stated on X.
Braun’s actions follow a series of antisemitic incidents. Last December, he disrupted a Hanukkah event in the Polish parliament, extinguishing menorah candles with a fire extinguisher and creating chaos in the lobby. The event, attended by Jewish community members, was interrupted as Braun declared the Jewish holiday "satanic" and claimed he was restoring “normality.” He defended his actions, stating that those participating in what he termed "satanic worship" should be ashamed, not him.
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In response to the Hanukkah incident, Poland’s parliament voted to strip Braun of his immunity from prosecution, leading to criminal charges for religious insult. The international community widely condemned his actions, which amplified concerns about rising antisemitism in Europe (Source: AJC Europe/X, November 14, 2024).
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