Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Marjorie Taylor Greene spreads conspiracy theories about 2020 election and furries at Pennsylvania rally

GOP has used furry conspiracy to attack public schools

Josh Marcus
San Francisco
Sunday 04 September 2022 04:23 EDT
Comments
Marjorie Taylor Greene says president Trump won 2020 election at Pennsylvania rally

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Marjorie Taylor Greene spread conspiracy theories and called for public health officials to be put in jail on Saturday, as she and other prominent Republicans like Donald Trump traveled to Pennsylvania to support GOP senate candidate Mehmet Oz.

Before she even got onstage, the former QAnon supporter was repeating debunked right-wing myths, including false claims that public schools in places like Texas, Nebraska, Pennsylvania are lowering tables and putting out litter boxes for students who are “furries” that dress or self-identify as cats.

“They’re embracing lies, literally embracing lies,” Ms Greene told reporters outside the event. “If some student wants to pretend like a cat and use a litterbox after school, that’s their prerogative, whatever. But no, the school, the school resources and the other students and teachers should not have to be put through that because it’s a lie and we have to reject them.”

When it came time to speak, Ms Greene continued to make false statements, including that Donald Trump won the 2020 election.

“President Trump won the 2020 election,” she said onstage, to huge applause. “We know president Trump won.”

The far-right Georgia representative also called for White House medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci to be thrown in jail.

“He thinks he’s going to retire—let me tell you something, I think that man belongs in jail,” she continued.

The Independent has contacted Ms Greene for comment.

She wasn’t the only one making wild claims at the Pennsylvania rally.

Mr Trump baselessly accused Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman of using a variety of illegal drugs.

He compared the lieutenant governor, known for his trademark campaign trail uniform of hoodies and shorts, to “a teenager getting high in his parents basement” and called him a “raging lunatic” who not only supports legalisation of illicit drugs but partakes of them personally.

“Fetterman supports taxpayer funded drug dens and the complete decriminalization of illegal drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crystal meth and ultra lethal fentanyl,” he said. “And by the way, he takes them himself”.

There is no evidence this is true.

Mr Fetterman supports the decriminalisation and federal descheduling of marijuana for medical and criminal justice reasons.

His campaign told The Independent Mr Trump’s claims were “lies from Trump” from someone who is “desperate and sad.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in