Marjorie Taylor Greene Claims Capitol Rioters Weren’t Pro-Trump Days After Denying Conspiracy Theories
Topline
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) floated yet another false conspiracy theory on Twitter Tuesday—this time claiming the U.S. Capitol rioters were not Trump supporters—days after taking to the House floor to assert the false and bigoted words she spread were “words of the past.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks during a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on … [+]
Getty Images
Key Facts
“If the #Jan6 organizers were Trump supporters, then why did they attack us while we were objecting to electoral college votes for Joe Biden?” Greene—who referred to January 6 as Republicans’ “1776” moment days before the riot—wrote in a Twitter thread Tuesday, hours before former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is set to begin.
The rioters “did NOT just target one party,” Greene went on, “they targeted Republicans and Democrats.”
“Enough lies,” Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan, one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last month, snapped back, writing, “The #Jan6 organizers were Trump supporters.”
In a tweet, former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman said Greene’s latest tweet belonged in the “conspiracy theory hall of fame” and slammed Greene for trafficking in a “bizarre alternate universe.”
Democrats and 11 Republicans voted to strip Greene of her committee assignments on Thursday for past violent and unhinged comments she made on social media.
In remarks on the House floor hours before the House vote, Greene distanced herself from the previous comments—including her support for QAnon—and claimed they did not “represent” her.
Key Background
More than 175 people involved in the Capitol riot have been arrested, and the overwhelming majority have expressed support for Trump, while some have gone as far to claim they decided to join the mob under a directive from Trump himself. The mob that stormed the Capitol were of a variety of stripes—including white nationalists, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and far-right military groups—but united by the false assertion Trump won the election, and his victory needed saving. Greene’s logic also falls apart when considering the challenge to President Joe Biden’s win in Congress was doomed to fail because Republicans did not have the votes to toss out enough Electoral College votes.
Tangent
Since joining Congress, Greene has faced a host of criticism from Republicans and Democrats over past violent remarks and conspiracy theories she spread. Along with embracing QAnon, Georgia congresswoman once claimed the Parkland and Sandy Hook school shootings were “false flag” events, and the California wildfires set by Jewish “space lasers.” Greene has also shown support for executing top Democrats and suggested Muslims do not belong in government.
Crucial Quote
“I never once said during my entire campaign, QAnon,” Greene said on the House floor last week, hoping to separate her embrace of conspiracy theories from her political career. “I never once said any of the things that I am being accused of today during my campaign. I never said any of these things since I have been elected for Congress.”
Further Reading
Marjorie Taylor Greene Ends Press Conference When Asked About Endorsing Pelosi’s Execution (Forbes)
House Ousts Marjorie Taylor Greene From Committees With Eleven GOP Votes (Forbes)
‘Trump said to do so’: Accounts of rioters who say the president spurred them to rush the Capitol could be pivotal testimony (Washington Post)
*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Forbes can be found here ***
