J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh talking with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in 2009.
- Many in the right-wing media promoted a conspiracy that Democrats were behind several packages containing explosive devices that were sent by mail to top Democrats this week.
- Prominent conservative voices, including popular talk radio host Rush Limbaugh and frequent Fox News guest and conservative activist Candace Owens, suggested that "leftists" were to blame for the attempted terrorist attacks.
- "Republicans just don't do this kind of thing," Limbaugh said.
Many in the right-wing media, including prominent voices like popular talk radio host Rush Limbaugh and frequent Fox News guest Candace Owens, began Wednesday to promote a conspiracy that Democrats were behind several packages containing explosive devices that were sent by mail to top Democrats this week.
Limbaugh suggested on his show on Wednesday - soon after the devices were sent to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama, as well as CNN's New York offices - that the act was committed to fuel support for Democrats two weeks before the midterm elections.
"It's happening in October," Limbaugh said. "There's a reason for this."
He added that attempted violent attacks are out of character for conservatives.
"Republicans just don't do this kind of thing," he said.
Another prominent mainstream conservative activist and frequent Fox News guest, Candace Owens, declared there was a "0% chance" the bombs were sent by someone with conservative leanings, instead blaming "leftists" for staging the attack for political gain.
Michael Flynn Jr., the son of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn who has previously promoted dangerous conspiracy theories, called the mail bombs "a total false flag operation" in a series of tweets he later deleted.
"I condemn all political violence but again the timing is bullsh#t," Flynn wrote.
Others argued that the attempted attacks were designed to distract from political dissenters on the left - what the right has characterized as a left-wing "mob."
In a tweet that he later deleted, John Cardillo, a right-wing radio host and former NYPD officer, also suggested that the attempted attacks were staged by Democrats.
"Just too coincidental that two weeks before Election Day, as the 'blue wave' has turned into a ripple, and the left is losing ground because of incivility and violent rhetoric, explosive devices show up in the mailboxes of Soros, Clinton, and Obama," he tweeted, according to The Daily Beast.
Billionaire philanthropist and Democratic donor George Soros, former CIA Director John Brennan, and Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, were also recipients of the packages. All of those targeted are critics of the president whom Trump has in turn attacked relentlessly.
Limbaugh's show right now is basically indistinguishable from what Alex Jones would say. A caller says she suspects the Democrats paid someone to send the bombs. Limbaugh: "Exactly!"
- Will Sommer (@willsommer) October 24, 2018I'm going to go ahead and state that there is a 0% chance that these "suspicious packages" were sent out by conservatives.
The only thing "suspicious" about these packages, is their timing.
Caravans, fake bomb threats-these leftists are going ALL OUT for midterms.
- Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 24, 2018These "Suspicious Package" stories are false flags, carefully planned for the midterms
- Jacob Wohl (@JacobAWohl) October 24, 2018