search
Sections List
American Journal News

Kevin McCarthy pretends he doesn't know what QAnon is

McCarthy said in August there was ‘no place for QAnon in the Republican Party.’ On Wednesday, he claimed he didn’t even know what the conspiracy theory was.

By Emily Singer - February 04, 2021
Share
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday claimed he did not know what the QAnon conspiracy theory is, despite having denounced it less than six months ago.

McCarthy played dumb about QAnon in order to justify his decision not to punish Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the embattled Georgia Republican who has expressed support for the conspiracy theory.

Greene has not only expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory — which the FBI deems a domestic terror threat — but is also under fire for endorsing the execution of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying mass school shootings were “false flag” operations meant to build support for gun control, and blaming a deadly California wildfire on space lasers owned by Jewish billionaires.

“Denouncing Q-on, I don’t know if I say it right, I don’t even know what it is,” McCarthy said Wednesday night after an hourslong meeting with the entire House Republican conference, in which GOP lawmakers gave Greene a standing ovation rather than voting to punish her for her violent, dangerous, and offensive comments.

McCarthy mispronounced QAnon, despite having denounced the theory back in August when he was defending then-candidate Greene, who was running for a safe Republican seat.

“Let me be very clear: There is no place for QAnon in the Republican Party,” McCarthy said in August. “I do not support it and the candidate you talked about has denounced it.”

QAnon is a false conspiracy theory that alleges that Donald Trump was going to save the country from a cabal of Democrats and Hollywood elite, who QAnon followers believe run a child sex trafficking ring. The theory was always false, but it completely fell apart when Trump left office without making mass arrests, as the conspiracy theorists said would happen. It’s left many believers of the theory feeling duped, with some talking to the press about coming to their senses now that the main tenets of the belief are proven to be false.

The FBI’s warnings back in August that QAnon was a domestic terror threat appeared to true on Jan. 6, as many of members of the pro-Trump mob that waged the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol were followers of the conspiracy theory, donning clothing with QAnon symbols and phrases.

McCarthy’s claim that he didn’t know about a controversial conspiracy theory, despite clearly knowing what it is, is a play straight from the Donald Trump playbook.

In February 2016, Trump refused to denounce notorious white supremacist David Duke, saying he didn’t “know anything” about Duke, despite having denounced Duke years earlier.

Ultimately, McCarthy’s refusal to punish Greene for her behavior could come back to bite him and his party in the 2022 midterms.

House Democrats are moving forward on Thursday with a bill to remove Greene from her House committees, which will force Republican lawmakers to either side with a conspiracy theorist in their ranks, or punish her and alienate the large QAnon-supporting segment of the Republican base.

Democrats are already running ads tying vulnerable House Republicans to Greene and her comments and plan to continue to do so throughout the midterm cycle.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Read More
AJ News
Latest
GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

By Jesse Valentine - April 15, 2024
GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

By Jesse Valentine - March 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

By Jesse Valentine - March 08, 2024
Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

By Jesse Valentine - March 07, 2024
Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

By Jesse Valentine - March 04, 2024
Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2024
Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

By Jesse Valentine - February 09, 2024
Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

By Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 31, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

By Jesse Valentine - January 17, 2024
A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

By Bonnie Fuller - January 10, 2024
Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - January 08, 2024
How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

By Jesse Valentine - January 05, 2024
NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 04, 2024
Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

By Jesse Valentine - December 22, 2023
Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

By - December 15, 2023
Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

By Jesse Valentine - December 08, 2023
Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

By Jesse Valentine - December 07, 2023
Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance - December 06, 2023
105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

By Jesse Valentine - December 05, 2023
For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - December 04, 2023
Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - November 30, 2023
Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

By Jesse Valentine - November 06, 2023
Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

By Jesse Valentine - November 03, 2023
Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

By Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today - October 24, 2023
 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

By Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner - April 24, 2024
Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal - April 23, 2024
President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

By Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury - April 23, 2024
Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix - April 22, 2024