<p>Those who pushed out the lie "include right-wing television networks <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/newsmax/newsmax-host-and-white-house-correspondent-suggests-anti-fascists-may-be-responsible" target="_blank">Newsmax</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/oann/status/1347269243541147650?lang=en" target="_blank">One America News</a>; Trump personal attorney <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/15/politics/giuliani-unfounded-antifa-claim-invs/index.html" target="_blank">Rudy Giuliani</a> and Trump impeachment attorney <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/12/michael-van-der-veen/trump-impeachment-defense-lawyer-wrongly-singles-o/" target="_blank">Michael van der Veen</a>; Republican members of Congress like <a href="https://twitter.com/repmobrooks/status/1347171347043115008" target="_blank">Rep. Mo Brooks</a>, <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/01/07/how-matt-gaetz-spread-a-falsehood-about-antifa-infiltrating-the-mob-that-attacked-congress/" target="_blank">Rep. Matt Gaetz</a> and <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/ron-johnson-capitol-riot-conspiracy-theory" target="_blank">Sen. Ron Johnson</a>; <a href="https://twitter.com/statesman/status/1347638345208360966" target="_blank">Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton</a> and Republican <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-06/california-gop-legislative-leader-shannon-grove-tweets-antifa-claim-capitol-mob" target="_blank">state legislators</a>; former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/sarah-palin-capitol-riots-antifa-trump-supporters-b1783857.html" target="_blank">Sarah Palin</a>; right-wing conspiracy websites like <a href="https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/evidence-riots-capitol-pre-planned-members-antifa-neo-nazis-others/" target="_blank">The Gateway Pundit</a>; and <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/sean-hannity-brit-hume-other-conservatives-suggest-antifa-instigated-capitol-mob/" target="_blank">popular right-wing commentators</a> on social media and talk radio," Dale listed. </p><p>Some have admitted that it was a lie, but most haven't. Dale spoke with research director Joan Donovan at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, who explained that right-wing media continues to find ways to "blame Antifa for everything from <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/el-paso-dayton-shooting-fake-news-antifa-charlottesville-867499/" target="_blank">mass shootings</a> to <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/laura-ingraham-peddles-debunked-claim-that-antifas-behind-wildfires" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wildfires</a>."</p><p>Antifa blame has become so prevalent that it's now become a meme for evading responsibility. </p><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">Like all things... I blame Antifa. Why not right? <a href="https://t.co/jqolp9gtDT">pic.twitter.com/jqolp9gtDT</a><br/>— The Dark Zone Pilot (@DarkZonePilot) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarkZonePilot/status/1357482005189955585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">They blame Antifa for everything. Cuz you know, they be organized and bad... <a href="https://t.co/ylCcRkxDRa">pic.twitter.com/ylCcRkxDRa</a><br/>— KevinBoogie_andBliss (@Kevin_A_Boogie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_A_Boogie/status/1356410651275497472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="33b978b9b407d9671632ebc58790e6a0" id="ff9b4"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1362450723510706182"><div style="margin:1em 0">@brownandrew899 @Iweyer2 @Mominsweats @FoxNews Did someone say ANTIFA? I thought they must be to blame. https://t.co/3ZohhYCuE2</div> — Sol.Ray (@Sol.Ray)<a href="https://twitter.com/SoleilSunray/statuses/1362450723510706182">1613668540.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p><br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="174faca4963377bad0943430e67f9b56" id="be1fe"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1347630882111299584"><div style="margin:1em 0">When in doubt, blame ANTIFA. I guarantee half of Americans couldn't tell you what ANITFA even stands for. https://t.co/kyOk2X0DMW</div> — AJ (@AJ)<a href="https://twitter.com/AWIIIDC/statuses/1347630882111299584">1610135214.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p><br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f15e521d2e324ab7e65cf40bd6193b5e" id="90d75"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1360347548146233345"><div style="margin:1em 0">Trump's lawyers blame "Antifa" for the riots like they're a terrible band playing their worst hits. https://t.co/3VnNlv4Zb2</div> — Zimran Jacob (@Zimran Jacob)<a href="https://twitter.com/zimranjacob/statuses/1360347548146233345">1613167104.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">But sure, blame it on Antifa <a href="https://t.co/RektVdmEVx">pic.twitter.com/RektVdmEVx</a><br/>— ♣️ Jacob ♣️ (@DragonKing____) <a href="https://twitter.com/DragonKing____/status/1366767364998651911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><p>Dale closed by saying that it may seem impossible to get Fox News and other right-wing platforms to be more responsible, " it seems just as hard to address the demand-side problem. Between the popularity of absurd <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/poll-persistent-partisan-divide-over-birther-question-n627446" target="_blank">lies</a> about the birthplace of former President Barack Obama, the rise of the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/us/qanon-trump-twitter-invs/index.html" target="_blank">bonkers QAnon movement</a>, the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/2020-election-donald-trump-voter-fraud/index.html" target="_blank">popularity</a> of Trump's lies about the 2020 election and now the popularity of this lie about Antifa and the Capitol, it appears clear that millions of right-wing Americans are eager to believe in outlandish conspiracy theories about their political opponents."</p><p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/politics/fact-check-antifa-capitol-lie-republicans-polls/index.html" target="_blank">Read his full fact-check at CNN.com.</a></p>
CONTINUE READING
Show less