Conspiracy theorist said to have been key promoter of false rumour about immigrants ex-president repeated in debate

Republicans are blaming the influence of Laura Loomer, a rightwing conspiracy theorist, for this week’s botched debate performance by Donald Trump, which included the former president repeating a bizarre and unfounded claim that pet cats and dogs were being eaten by Haitian immigrants.

Loomer flew with Trump on his private plane to Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia and has been identified as a key promoter of the pets rumour, which has been dismissed as false by authorities in Springfield, Ohio, where the practice was alleged to have been taking place.

Loomer, who styles herself as an “investigative journalist”, last year promoted a conspiracy theory alleging that 9/11 was an”inside job”. On Wednesday she posted an unfounded allegation that Harris had worn earphones disguised as earrings during the debate.

  • 2ugly2live
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    325 days ago

    Okay, and?

    Trump still said that shit. If Walz went to Harris and said, “The radical right is injecting holy water in babies’ eyes so they can see the lord” and she just said that shit without checking, I’d be looking at her sideways too. He went to a national debate and sputtered out nonsense that he didn’t verify or even question. That shit’s on him.

    • @captainlezbian
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      175 days ago

      And it’s not Walz to compare that to. It’s more like if Natalie Wynn or another bread tuber did it. There’s a level of assumed trust between vp candidate and presidential candidate that this completely lacks (and this still would violate it). This lady is just some low level pundit calling herself a journalist

      • @qarbone
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        44 days ago

        I think the connection is that it became a talking point because Vance brought it up. While it’s likely he doesn’t listen to Vance unless it’s filtered through an LCD, I think the comparison is pretty apt