This GOP Lawmaker Denounced QAnon—and Fears for His Party
4 years, 1 month ago

This GOP Lawmaker Denounced QAnon—and Fears for His Party

Wired  

Elected officials love to say they aren’t typical politicians. A businessman, former Air Force intelligence officer, and expert on Bigfoot believers, Riggleman has repeatedly refused to bow to party orthodoxy since being elected in 2018, most notably when he officiated a same-sex marriage ceremony last year. More recently, Riggleman has become one of the most outspoken Republican critics of QAnon, the online community organized loosely around the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump is waging a secret war against deep-state pedophiles and satanists. In June, local GOP officials, who had already censured him for “abandoning party principles,” replaced the traditional public primary with an unusual drive-through convention, in which Riggleman lost the nomination to a more conservative candidate. Riggleman recently spoke to WIRED about QAnon and the future of the Republican Party, and he didn’t sound optimistic.

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History of this topic

Opinion: QAnon has gone local, with strange repercussions in California’s Shasta County and beyond
1 year, 9 months ago

Opinion: QAnon has gone local, with strange repercussions in California’s Shasta County and beyond

LA Times  

The Shasta County Board of Supervisors has “ upended the county’s election process,” the Los Angeles Times reported last week, “canceling its contract with Dominion Voting Systems.” The county could opt to hand-count ballots instead, which would likely delay results and promote more suspicion of elections. From Michigan to California, dozens of elected local officials have promoted QAnon conspiracy theories …

How a QAnon influencer — who hints he may be JFK Jr. — became central to GOP election denial
2 years, 2 months ago

How a QAnon influencer — who hints he may be JFK Jr. — became central to GOP election denial

Salon  

A shadowy online influencer linked to the QAnon movement, who goes by "Juan O Savin" — and has hinted or implied that he may be the late John F. Kennedy Jr., a fixture of some QAnon fantasies — is also involved in efforts to install election-deniers in key positions where they can oversee elections. As Savin has become increasingly popular …

Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump and QAnon: Will appeals to extremism backfire in the midterms?
2 years, 3 months ago

Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump and QAnon: Will appeals to extremism backfire in the midterms?

Salon  

It's telling how normalized events like this have become; they barely make ripples now in the national news. It's hard to follow for those who aren't already well-versed in the right's mythology accusing LGBTQ people and their allies of "grooming" children to be victims of sexual abuse. Carlson doesn't say the word "QAnon," because he's clever enough to build plausible …

Donald Trump has gone full QAnon in recent weeks
2 years, 3 months ago

Donald Trump has gone full QAnon in recent weeks

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I haven’t heard that, but is that supposed …

Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories
2 years, 3 months ago

Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories

Associated Press  

After winking at QAnon for years, Donald Trump is overtly embracing the baseless conspiracy theory, even as the number of frightening real-world events linked to it grows. On Tuesday, using his Truth Social platform, the Republican former president reposted an image of himself wearing a Q lapel pin overlaid with the words “The Storm is Coming.” In QAnon lore, the …

Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories
2 years, 3 months ago

Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories

Associated Press  

After winking at QAnon for years, Donald Trump is overtly embracing the baseless conspiracy theory, even as the number of frightening real-world events linked to it grows. On Tuesday, using his Truth Social platform, the Republican former president reposted an image of himself wearing a Q lapel pin overlaid with the words “The Storm is Coming.” In QAnon lore, the …

Trump fully embraces QAnon on Truth Social — hours after obsessed supporter allegedly killed wife
2 years, 3 months ago

Trump fully embraces QAnon on Truth Social — hours after obsessed supporter allegedly killed wife

Salon  

In his one-term presidency, Donald Trump pushed out a number of notorious conspiracy theories tied to voter fraud, climate change and vaccines, but it wasn't until recently that Trump expressed his explicit support for QAnon – which promotes the idea that Trump is the savior of the American people. Despite the dangers of endorsing a movement the FBI has labeled …

'How much more obvious can it get?' QAnon believers ecstatic over Trump's endorsement in latest meme
2 years, 3 months ago

'How much more obvious can it get?' QAnon believers ecstatic over Trump's endorsement in latest meme

Raw Story  

On Tuesday, VICE reported that QAnon adherents are rejoicing over former President Donald Trump's increasingly open embrace of their movement, symbols, and slogans. " Trump shared a picture of himself wearing a Q lapel pin, overlaid with the QAnon phrases 'The Storm is Coming' and 'WWG1WGA,' on his Truth Social account on Monday evening. QAnon adherents never explain why Trump …

Dozens of QAnon accounts are being white-listed on Trump's Truth Social
2 years, 3 months ago

Dozens of QAnon accounts are being white-listed on Trump's Truth Social

Raw Story  

There is a concern that Donald Trump's social media site could go dark as a hosting bill of over $1 million has gone unpaid. When asked whether he agreed their conspiracy theories were "cray" or "untrue," he replied, “I don’t know about QAnon.” Months later, speaking with the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other aides, and saying that …

Alex Jones explodes at caller over 'damn' QAnon: 'I have to put up with the Q people all over the place!'
2 years, 7 months ago

Alex Jones explodes at caller over 'damn' QAnon: 'I have to put up with the Q people all over the place!'

Raw Story  

Notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Monday said that the QAnon movement had helped Democrats "steal the election." "Q is such a horrible thing that I hate even talking about it," Jones said, comparing the movement to a "cult." "And the damn Q people were the ones that manipulated some people to go into the damn Capitol and work with …

QAnon believers left baffled and frustrated by Trump's pivot
3 years ago

QAnon believers left baffled and frustrated by Trump's pivot

Raw Story  

QAnon believers, also known for their adamant disapproval of COVID vaccinations, have been left befuddled by former President Donald Trump admitting that he'd taken the COVID vaccine booster shot. Following Trump's appearance on Bill O'Reilly's "No Spin News," Trump confirmed his third jab. According to Newsweek, disgruntled QAnon believers have criticized and "turned on" Trump due to his latest announcement. …

Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies
3 years, 9 months ago

Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Associated Press reviewed public and private social media accounts of nearly 1,000 federal, …

Op-Ed: Why QAnon’s similarity to other cults makes it a significant national security threat
3 years, 10 months ago

Op-Ed: Why QAnon’s similarity to other cults makes it a significant national security threat

LA Times  

Followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, some carrying posters of the guru, protest in Portland, Ore., in 1985 against his arrest. Instead of admitting defeat, some QAnon followers are promoting a new convoluted conspiracy theory with the outcome they desire: Trump will once again be sworn in as president of the United States on March 4. Despite repeated predictions associated …

AP FACT CHECK: House GOP chief unfamiliar with QAnon?
3 years, 10 months ago

AP FACT CHECK: House GOP chief unfamiliar with QAnon?

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is claiming he’s unfamiliar with an extremist conspiracy theory whose adherents joined the violent assault on Congress and hunted for his members as well as Democrats. I don’t even know what it is.” — comments Wednesday defending Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene despite her history of making absurd and racist statements, some aligned with …

How a South Carolina mom left QAnon behind
3 years, 10 months ago

How a South Carolina mom left QAnon behind

CNN  

Ashley Vanderbilt says her four-year-old daughter Emmerson knew “something was wrong with her mom.” “I wasn’t one hundred percent there like I should have been,” she recalls. Trump had “opened back up Guantanamo Bay” and “increased the capacity to 200,000.” That was the conspiracy theory being pushed by QAnon followers on the eve of the inauguration, and it is what …

The truth about Russia's role in pushing the QAnon canon of conspiracies
3 years, 10 months ago

The truth about Russia's role in pushing the QAnon canon of conspiracies

Raw Story  

The cult of QAnon is at a crossroads. Whatever role Russia may have played in promoting this conspiracy theory, the real problem is that there's a huge market in the United States for conspiracy theories that promise the violent overthrow of democracy. Q is old conspiracies made new Many of the central tenets of QAnon are retreads of the antisemitic …

Washington state mayor criticized over past QAnon comments
3 years, 10 months ago

Washington state mayor criticized over past QAnon comments

Associated Press  

SEATTLE — A mayor of a small town in Washington state has drawn opposition for comments supporting adherents to QAnon conspiracies. Sequim Mayor William Armacost has previously declared QAnon a “truth movement” and encouraged listeners of a local radio station to watch a YouTube video supporting the online movement, The Seattle Times reported Sunday. QAnon followers advocate conspiracy theories rooted …

QAnon and evangelicals: Republicans baptized in crazy
3 years, 10 months ago

QAnon and evangelicals: Republicans baptized in crazy

Salon  

Donald Trump is out, but parts of the Republican Party warmly embrace his dark legacy of white supremacy, the crazy QAnon conspiracy and civil war wrapped in faux Christianity. Oregon's Republican Party this month aligned itself with conspiracy theories as well as denouncing all 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the murderous attack on our Capitol. …

QAnon merges with white extremists and spreads new conspiracy Trump will be president again on March 4
3 years, 10 months ago

QAnon merges with white extremists and spreads new conspiracy Trump will be president again on March 4

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. According to reports, the sovereign citizen …

Inauguration sows doubt among QAnon conspiracy theorists
3 years, 11 months ago

Inauguration sows doubt among QAnon conspiracy theorists

Associated Press  

— For years, legions of QAnon conspiracy theory adherents encouraged one another to “trust the plan” as they waited for the day when President Donald Trump would orchestrate mass arrests, military tribunals and executions of his Satan-worshipping, child-sacrificing enemies. “They have believed this so completely that to simply walk away from it is just not in the realm of reality …

What’s Happening to QAnon Now That Trump Is Out of Chances to Arrest the Satanic Elites
54 years, 11 months ago

What’s Happening to QAnon Now That Trump Is Out of Chances to Arrest the Satanic Elites

Slate  

As Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States at noon on Wednesday, holdouts of the ever-evolving QAnon conspiracy theory were forced to reckon with the reality that Donald Trump was not going to pull this one out. Followers of QAnon hold that satanic pedophiles control the world’s major institutions, which is why many thought that Trump would …

The QAnon 'Storm' Never Struck. Some Supporters Are Wavering, Others Steadfast
3 years, 11 months ago

The QAnon 'Storm' Never Struck. Some Supporters Are Wavering, Others Steadfast

NPR  

The QAnon 'Storm' Never Struck. Some Supporters Are Wavering, Others Steadfast Enlarge this image toggle caption Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images Former President Donald Trump did not declare martial law in his final minutes in office; nor did he reveal a secret plan to remain in power forever. New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose …

This Sure Isn’t the Election QAnon Wanted
54 years, 11 months ago

This Sure Isn’t the Election QAnon Wanted

Slate  

Everyone, at some point, has to deal with being on the losing side of a presidential election. On 8kun, the seedy imageboard where the movement’s anonymous leader Q posts messages to his followers, QAnon followers can’t quite agree on how to process Trump’s likely defeat. With his site privileges, Ron was able to control the Q account whenever he wanted …

The Hindu Explains | How QAnon went from a bizarre conspiracy theory to an election talking point
4 years, 2 months ago

The Hindu Explains | How QAnon went from a bizarre conspiracy theory to an election talking point

The Hindu  

In a recent televised townhall, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked if he denounced the right-wing conspiracy theory QAnon, which claims that Democrats are part of a satan-worshipping pedophile ring, and that Mr. Trump is the “savior” from this. QAnon is an elaborate right-wing conspiracy theory that believes a wide range of people – Democratic party leaders, Hollywood elites, U.S. …

In QAnon-linked US candidates, populism meets conspiracy
4 years, 2 months ago

In QAnon-linked US candidates, populism meets conspiracy

Al Jazeera  

At least 25 congressional candidates with links to the conspiracy web QAnon will appear on ballots on November 3. pic.twitter.com/Q3o9JGN4TJ — Philip Crowther October 4, 2020 Still, experts say, the number of candidates who have at times ascribed to QAnon, or other conspiracy theories, is directly connected to a president who has regularly railed against “deep state” actors trying to …

What is QAnon, the conspiracy theory spreading throughout the US
4 years, 2 months ago

What is QAnon, the conspiracy theory spreading throughout the US

Al Jazeera  

At least 24 US political candidates have supported a conspiracy that claims liberals are harvesting children’s blood. The far-right QAnon conspiracy theory has made waves in this election after US President Donald Trump’s acknowledgement of its adherents in August and an increase in Republican and independent congressional candidates embracing the movement, which many consider a mad hoax or even a …

QAnon Supporters Aren’t Quite Who You Think They Are
4 years, 2 months ago

QAnon Supporters Aren’t Quite Who You Think They Are

Wired  

Q fever, we’re told, is sweeping the nation. The highest-polling statement was “Democratic politicians and Hollywood stars are part of a global network that tortures and sexually abuses children in Satanic rituals”—62 percent of QAnon supporters rated it as definitely or probably true. The other three QAnon theories polled—Trump is preparing mass arrests, Mueller was secretly ordered by Trump to …

Op-Ed: Facebook drove QAnon’s mad growth and enhanced its power to poison elections
4 years, 2 months ago

Op-Ed: Facebook drove QAnon’s mad growth and enhanced its power to poison elections

LA Times  

A supporter of QAnon conspiracy theory at a rally for President Trump in 2018. Internet platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube and Twitter have provided the algorithmic amplification to drive QAnon from the fringes into the mainstream. When Trump posts a message on Twitter and Facebook that implies support for QAnon, algorithms give it maximum reach because it grabs …

We Need to Talk About Talking About QAnon
4 years, 3 months ago

We Need to Talk About Talking About QAnon

Wired  

We need to talk about talking about QAnon. QAnon dovetails with the more secular “deep state” narrative, which claims that holdovers from the Obama administration are secretly conspiring to destroy Trump’s presidency from within. Beliefs in QAnon and the deep state are unified by one basic factor: their reliance on deep memetic frames. The most immediate benefit of reflecting on …

More GOP Candidates Are Embracing QAnon, And Supporters Don't Seem To Care
4 years, 3 months ago

More GOP Candidates Are Embracing QAnon, And Supporters Don't Seem To Care

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Lauren Witzke is a onetime believer in QAnon whose political beliefs have been forged in the virulent online world of white nationalists. In a 2017 video, Greene embraced the conspiracy theory that the unknown Q is poised to take out a “global cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles” and that Trump is “the president to do it.” In Greene’s …

Russian-backed organisations amplify QAnon conspiracy theories
4 years, 4 months ago

Russian-backed organisations amplify QAnon conspiracy theories

Al Jazeera  

Researchers believe the Kremlin is highlighting a conspiracy theory that Trump is battling satanic politicians. In 2019, the Internet Research Agency, a Russian “troll factory” indicted by Robert Mueller in his election interference prosecution, sent a high volume of tweets tagged with #QAnon and the movement slogan #WWG1WGA, short for Where We Go One, We Go All, said Melanie Smith, …

Trump praises QAnon conspiracists, who ‘like me very much’
4 years, 4 months ago

Trump praises QAnon conspiracists, who ‘like me very much’

LA Times  

President Trump on Wednesday praised the supporters of QAnon, a convoluted, pro-Trump conspiracy theory, and suggested that he appreciates their support for his reelection. Speaking during a news conference at the White House, Trump courted the support of those who put stock in the conspiracy theory, saying, “I heard that these are people that love our country.” It was Trump’s …

Trump praises QAnon conspiracists, appreciates support
4 years, 4 months ago

Trump praises QAnon conspiracists, appreciates support

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised the supporters of QAnon, a convoluted, pro-Trump conspiracy theory, and suggested he appreciates their support of his candidacy. Speaking during a press conference at the White House, Trump courted the support of those who put stock in the conspiracy theory, saying, “I heard that these are people that love our country.” It …

Trump, Addressing Far-Right QAnon Conspiracy, Offers Praise For Its Followers
4 years, 4 months ago

Trump, Addressing Far-Right QAnon Conspiracy, Offers Praise For Its Followers

NPR  

Trump, Addressing Far-Right QAnon Conspiracy, Offers Praise For Its Followers Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Trump addressed the baseless, far-right QAnon conspiracy theory directly for the first time on Wednesday, saying he didn't know much about the online community and its followers other than "they like me very much." In the nearly three …

From Fringe To Congress: QAnon Backers Are On The Ballot In November
4 years, 4 months ago

From Fringe To Congress: QAnon Backers Are On The Ballot In November

NPR  

From Fringe To Congress: QAnon Backers Are On The Ballot In November Enlarge this image toggle caption Mike Stewart/AP Mike Stewart/AP Marjorie Taylor Greene's path to Congress has been strewn with controversy. "Now there's the potential to have someone in political office that believes in QAnon," said Aoife Gallagher, a researcher at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue who co-wrote …

Trump says QAnon supporter condemned by GOP leaders for racist videos is “future Republican star”
4 years, 4 months ago

Trump says QAnon supporter condemned by GOP leaders for racist videos is “future Republican star”

Salon  

President Donald Trump praised QAnon supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene as a "future Republican star" after she won her primary for the House of Representatives in Georgia this week. "Marjorie is strong on everything," the Republican president wrote Wednesday morning, even though her record of "appalling" and "disgusting" comments about race have been publicly condemned by the party's top two leaders …

QAnon: Twitter tries to catch the horse that bolted
4 years, 5 months ago

QAnon: Twitter tries to catch the horse that bolted

CNN  

New York CNN Business — Almost three years after a conspiracy theory known as QAnon began spreading on dark corners of the internet, pushing unfounded claims about a so-called “deep state” and prompting concerns about targeted harassment, social media platforms are finally looking to do something about it. Twitter announced late Tuesday that it had removed thousands of accounts linked …

Satanism and sex rings: How the QAnon conspiracy theory has taken political root
4 years, 5 months ago

Satanism and sex rings: How the QAnon conspiracy theory has taken political root

LA Times  

David Reinert holds a Q sign as he waits to get into a Trump campaign rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in August 2018. Trump is “a genuine Washington outsider, and what’s central to the QAnon community is the belief that the whole political system is corrupt,” said Travis View, a conspiracy theory researcher who co-hosts the QAnon Anonymous podcast, which breaks …

QAnon: Is pro-Trump conspiracy movement going mainstream?
4 years, 5 months ago

QAnon: Is pro-Trump conspiracy movement going mainstream?

Al Jazeera  

From obscure message boards to national coverage, we discuss its growing influence. Many believe that a US military installation known as ‘Area 51’ is sheltering spacecraft and aliens. Its growing network of true believers are centred around an anonymous figure known only as “Q” who claims to have inside knowledge that US President Donald Trump is waging an undercover war …

Is Congress Ready For QAnon?
4 years, 5 months ago

Is Congress Ready For QAnon?

Huff Post  

A QAnon conspiracy theorist demonstrates at an anti-quarantine protest in Salem, Oregon, on May 2. John Rudoff/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images On the day Jo Rae Perkins won Oregon’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate this May, she tweeted a catchphrase that a select group of people would instantly recognize: “Where we go one, we go all.” It was the signature …

What is QAnon?
4 years, 5 months ago

What is QAnon?

CNN  

CNN — Since its origin three years ago, QAnon has festered in the darker corners of the internet. ​ While the Russian campaign had an apparent objective – influence voters to elect Trump – QAnon is decentralized, having no clear objective aside from its popular slogan, “Question everything.” Anyone can create a conspiracy, offer evidence to support it and tag …

QAnon conspiracy theorists on the ballot show Trump’s influence on the GOP
4 years, 5 months ago

QAnon conspiracy theorists on the ballot show Trump’s influence on the GOP

CNN  

Washington CNN — When the next Congress is sworn in to office in January 2021, there’s a high likelihood it will have among its Republican members someone who is sympathetic to a wild, unsubstantiated conspiracy theory known as QAnon. Boebert joins two more Republicans – US Senate nominee Jo Rae Perkins of Oregon and Georgia House candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene …

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