The Epstein-Pizzagate Connection
The seminal conspiracy theory of the Trump era gets a facelift 10 years later.
Ten years ago, a conspiracy theory known as Pizzagate emerged, fueled by hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, who had corresponded with the owner of a Washington D.C. pizza restaurant called Comet Ping Pong. The theory claimed that powerful Democrats were running a pedophilia ring involving children in the restaurant. Although the theory was largely discredited, it resurfaced in 2016 when a man named Edgar Welch, under the belief that he would free the children, stormed Comet with a gun.
Alex Jones, a prominent figure in the Pizzagate movement, apologized to Comet's owner to avoid a lawsuit, while Jack Posobiec, a far-right influencer, distanced himself from the conspiracy. The incident prompted mainstream social media platforms to take action, blocking Pizzagate-related hashtags and adding warning labels to related content. However, these measures have since been removed.
In 2018, Tucker Carlson, on his podcast, brought up Pizzagate, expressing regret for not taking it seriously earlier. He cited a "semi-forgotten story" he found absurd, suggesting that "pizza and grape soda" mentioned by Epstein and his urologist might be coded language. Conspiracy theorist Ian Carroll agreed, suggesting that Welch's invasion of Comet was a cover-up. This renewed interest in Pizzagate has been gaining traction on various platforms, despite the past warnings about the dangers of such theories.
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