Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was involved 'Pizzagate' style smear
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 4 years ago • 11 commentsBy: Geoff Earle (Mail Online)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A smear on Joe Biden's son Hunter with similarities to the 'pizzagate' has ties to some of the same characters who got the 2016 conspiracy theory going, including Alex Jones, who has peddled false theories that the Sandy Hook massacre never happened.
Despite the lack of evidence, the claims have received wide distribution on the Internet, gaining millions of views and driving search terms, then reverberating on broadcast media.
In the case of Hunter Biden - a top figure in President Trump's debate attacks on Joe Biden in Thursday night's debate against Joe Biden - Jones posted a video making wild claims about the former vice president's son in a headline and accompanying Oct. 17 video.
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones spread the pizza gate-steyle theory on his InforWars show
It had similarities to the debunked pizza-gate conspiracy from 2016, which accused powerful Democrats of running a pedophilia ring out of the basement of a Washington, D.C. pizza shop (the popular restaurant has no basement).
It takes a vague quote from Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani claiming to have pictures of Hunter Biden 'that I can't describe, some of which are illegal' and takes off from there.
According to FactCheck.org, Jones' InfoWars video has been viewed more than 2 million times. It continues to echo online, with 'human trafficking' now being the third most common term in connection with Hunter Biden, NBC News reported.
A nonprofit that tracks disinformation connects it to a site connected to dissident Chinese billionaire Guo Gengui
Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani (pictured with Guo) provided the information he said was from Hunter Biden's laptop. His claim that it contained images that were 'illegal' were included in videos making pizza-gate style claims
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (L) greets fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui before introducing him at a news conference on November 20, 2018 in New York
The New York Post, which obtained what Giuliani says is Hunter Biden's hard drive, did not report on any of the rumors Jones touted.
The claims emerged in late September, before the Post's reporting, and appear to have had their debut on the YouTube channel put out by Dinggang Wang, which is linked to Chinese dissident refugee billionaire Guo Wengui, a Mar-a-Lago member, according to First Draft, a nonprofit which tracks misinformation.
Guo is in turn linked to former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, who has touted the latest revelations from Hunter's laptop on his own online show. Bannon was arrested aboard Guo's megayacht in August when he was charged with fraud. He has pleaded not guilty. The two men are both behind the effort to declare a New Federal State of China.
Wang's videos got more play after the Hunter Biden story burst into public view after publication of the Post story. It was then shared and retweeted by accounts that identify with the QAnon conspiracy theory, which casts Trump as fighting a pedophilia ring run by Democrats and the 'deep state.'
According to NBC, the claims got a boost from Revolver News, promoted by Trump as a more loyal alternative to the Drudge Report. Former Trump White House speechwriter Darren Beattie, who also worked for Trump loyalist Florida Gov. Matt Gaetz, has claimed to have written posts on the site, which doesn't reveal its staff or backers. Bettie left the White House after attending a conference frequented by white nationalists.
The claim was also touted by a Senate candidate who supports QAnon, and Fox News interviewer Maria Bartiromo introduced the subject while questioning Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on her show. Donald Trump Jr. made the claim in an Oct. 22 appearance on Fox News without evidence, and the claims also got spread on online message boards.
The MAGA are here. Prepare.
We have our presidential election being influenced by these clowns. What is wrong with the American people?
America has been under a propaganda assault for over 20 years. The root of it Russian. I suspect there is more to Murdoch than simply he is Australian. It also proves that a stalwart democracy can be 'conditioned' to think itself undeserving while at the same time believing it deserves even more.
It seems that there is a labyrinth of malevolent conspiracies swirling around tangential figures in Trumpworld. Bannon, Q, Jones, maybe Miller. This sounds like the plot of a paranoid political thriller. Who's to say we aren't living in that world?
We are living in that world. The Autocracies of the world hang onto power by the thin thread of repression. They also are elated by the support they receive from the World's alleged strongest democracy, the United States.
Sometimes, even conspiracy theorists can be right. And I really do detest Alex Jones.😁
It sounds like this conspiracy theory is in reference to Hunter Biden’s involvement in a global pedophile ring. Are you saying this could be plausible?
Anything is possible.
The whole story is suspect.
I pay it no mind.
Fortunately for Alex Jones he lives in America. If he conducted himself in the same manner in Russia he would have long ago fell out a window. Or conducted himself in the same manner in Turkey he would be ensconced in a prison for decades. Or conducted himself in this manner in The Saudi Kingdom he would be in unrecoverable pieces. Or conducted himself in this manner in N. Korea used as target practice with a Howitzer. Jones is a lucky man but the fact that he profits from these things further proves that 'some Americans' are un-American in heart and spirit.