Conspiracy Theories Abound & Are Bound to Cause Trouble!

Charleston SC

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The White House condemned the alleged actions of Solomon Peña, a former Republican New Mexico state legislative candidate accused of targeting Democratic officials, after a judge ruled he would remain in custody until a formal detention trial could be held. Peña was arrested Monday on allegations that he organized and paid for drive-by shootings at residences of Democratic officials. According to court filings, Peña said he believed that his defeat by nearly 50 percentage points in the New Mexico House of Representatives’ 14th District in November was the result of election fraud. No evidence, however, suggested that his wide margin of defeat in a heavily Democratic constituency of Albuquerque was suspicious. Asked about Peña at Wednesday’s White House briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “The allegations here are horrifying and shocking, and it’s a miracle no one was hurt. [President Biden] has spoken out repeatedly and emphatically about how our nation rejects violence as a political tool.” “This administration has also emphasized the dangerous ways in which conspiracy theories and disinformation can lead some individuals to violence. Again, we urge leaders in both parties to reject lies and conspiracies,” Jean-Pierre added, noting that firearms are often used in instances of political violence and that the White House has worked on gun safety legislation. The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday that “Metropolitan Court Judge Jill Martinez said Peña will remain behind bars until a formal detention hearing in this case” and that the date for the hearing had not yet been set. The moral here is "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear".