Washington County Republican Club removes link to conspiracy websites

By Ryan Miner 

As of 6:25 p.m. yesterday, the Washington County Republican Club featured an “Information and News” section on its website, linking visitors to two well-known right-wing conspiracy websites – InfoWars and ZeroHedge.

Today, however, the “Information and News” section of the Club’s website was removed and updated with a disclaimer, “All Above links open in new tab are not affiliated with WCRC or this website.”

InfoWars.com is a website connected to Alex Jones, a radio host and conspiracy theorist who has alleged that the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax and staged by the government. InfoWars also propagated that the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing was carried out by the federal government.

Most recently, Jones helped push the debunked PizzaGate conspiracy theory, claiming that John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s former campaign manager, was running an underground human trafficking child-sex ring beneath Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington, D.C. Jones eventually apologized to Comet Ping Point and its owner James Alefantis for his role in promulgating the conspiracy.

The Republican Club also linked to Zero Hedge, another known conspiracy website that aggregates financial information and right-wing news. The site’s news has been debunked multiple times by reputable economists.

A Miner Detail’s request for comment from Club officers has gone unanswered.

The Club’s officers include President Ginger Bigelow, who is also a member of the Washington County Republican Central Committee, Vice President Barbara Hovermill, Secretary Linda Murray, who was recently appointed to the Washington County Board of Education and Treasurer Ray Foltz.

A Miner Detail’s Editor-in-Chief, Ryan Miner, sent the following request for comment yesterday evening to Club officers:

Dear Washington County Republican Club officers,

I noticed on your website that you list InfoWars.com as a source of news. Can you explain your reasoning for listing a conspiracy website as a source of “news?” Alex Jones, who is responsible for InfoWars.com, has claimed that the Sandy Hook Elementary School was staged.

Most recently, Jones apologized for propagating the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Linda Murray, a Washington County school board member, is a current officer with this club. Does she believe, like Alex Jones, that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax?

My deadline is tomorrow by 0600.

Thank you,

Ryan Miner

AMinerDetail.com

Editor-in-Chief