After the horrific Nazi and white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville, VA, many were left wondering who to blame. While the obvious answer is the insidious racism espoused by these groups and their desire to push a violent and hateful agenda, some (including our President) were unwilling to cast blame on the crowds of angry white people chanting Nazis slogans and carrying tiki torches. However, two Republican congressmen have taken it to the extreme, suggesting that the rallies were actually staged by the democrats.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) told Fox Business on Monday that he believed that the Democratic mayor of Charlottesville and the Democratic governor of Virginia worked together to lure in the hordes of white supremacists and anti-fascist counter protestors to the city in order to clash.
“This has been stirred up. This is being driven by forces of evil that are so far beyond what normal people can think about… There is a strategy to make race the number one issue in 2018 and 2020. They think it’s their ticket back this is going to blow up in their face.”
Either @TheJusticeDept or Pres. @realDonaldTrump has to appoint an #IndependentCounsel re: #Charlottesville. VIDEO: https://t.co/Pxnz2EmY9W
— Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) August 21, 2017
Gohmert then implied that the protestors were even paid actors, going so far as to demand that Trump order independent counsel (something a president cannot do) to investigate the Democrats regarding the matter.
“We need an investigation as to what happened in Charlottesville. Who paid for the different groups to come in? Who ordered the funneling of those groups together? Who ordered to stand by while the violence goes on?”
Gohmert wasn’t alone in his Alex Jones-like conspiracy theories. Bryan Zollinger (R-ID) posted a truly insane article from right-wing site American Thinker to his Facebook page, saying:
“I’m not saying it is true, but I am suggesting that it is completely plausible. We know that many protestors were Soros funded and we also know that Donald Trump is not a racist… So while I am not saying I believe the article, I’m glad to see someone out there asking people to think for themselves and use some logic and reason rather than spout what the media, otherwise known as the communications branch of the Democratic Party, is selling.”
Zollinger later went on to renounce his statements and said that he probably shouldn’t have said what he said because he “didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.”
On top of smearing Democratic leadership with these claims, but it also lessens the danger of letting the Nazis and white supremacists thrive. This is not the work of paid puppets, but people who are actively working to harm others.