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| Paul Horner, key distributor of fake news during 2016 election, dies at 38 | Paul Horner, key distributor of fake news during 2016 election, dies at 38 |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Authorities report evidence of accidental overdose in death of Horner, who said he believed his actions had won Trump the White House | |
| Associated Press in Phoenix | |
| Wed 27 Sep 2017 18.59 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 9 Feb 2018 18.37 GMT | |
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| A leading purveyor of fake news in the 2016 presidential election has died outside Phoenix at the age of 38. | A leading purveyor of fake news in the 2016 presidential election has died outside Phoenix at the age of 38. |
| A Maricopa County sheriff’s office spokesman, Mark Casey, said on Tuesday authorities had discovered Paul Horner dead in his bed on 18 September. | A Maricopa County sheriff’s office spokesman, Mark Casey, said on Tuesday authorities had discovered Paul Horner dead in his bed on 18 September. |
| Casey said the Maricopa County medical examiner had performed an autopsy which showed there were no signs of foul play. He said Horner had a history of prescription drug abuse and that “evidence at the scene suggested this could be an accidental overdose”. | Casey said the Maricopa County medical examiner had performed an autopsy which showed there were no signs of foul play. He said Horner had a history of prescription drug abuse and that “evidence at the scene suggested this could be an accidental overdose”. |
| Horner was known for writing false stories and disseminating internet hoaxes that often went viral on Facebook and hoodwinked thousands of people. | Horner was known for writing false stories and disseminating internet hoaxes that often went viral on Facebook and hoodwinked thousands of people. |
| They included a story falsely claiming Barack Obama was gay and a radical Muslim, and another saying protesters were being paid thousands of dollars to demonstrate at Donald Trump’s campaign rallies. | They included a story falsely claiming Barack Obama was gay and a radical Muslim, and another saying protesters were being paid thousands of dollars to demonstrate at Donald Trump’s campaign rallies. |
| Horner took on greater prominence during the presidential election when false stories were widely shared on social media during the race between Trump and Hillary Clinton. | Horner took on greater prominence during the presidential election when false stories were widely shared on social media during the race between Trump and Hillary Clinton. |
| In an interview with the Washington Post in 2016, Horner said he thought Trump had won the White House because of him. Horner said Trump’s supporters didn’t fact-check his stories before posting them. | In an interview with the Washington Post in 2016, Horner said he thought Trump had won the White House because of him. Horner said Trump’s supporters didn’t fact-check his stories before posting them. |
| JJ, Horner’s brother, said Paul considered his work satire and explained that his brother’s unique eye for hoaxes and hypocrisy at a young age later worked as clickbait in the internet world. | JJ, Horner’s brother, said Paul considered his work satire and explained that his brother’s unique eye for hoaxes and hypocrisy at a young age later worked as clickbait in the internet world. |
| “So I think that was a lot of the genius behind a lot of his work was pushing ideas that either people wanted to believe or thought was possible,” JJ said. | “So I think that was a lot of the genius behind a lot of his work was pushing ideas that either people wanted to believe or thought was possible,” JJ said. |
| Casey said toxicology reports from the medical examiner’s office were pending. The case will remain open until those results are known and a cause of death is finalized. | Casey said toxicology reports from the medical examiner’s office were pending. The case will remain open until those results are known and a cause of death is finalized. |
| JJ Horner said they grew up in Minnesota before moving to Arizona as teenagers. He said his brother was drawing and making political cartoons at a very young age and took an interest in politics. | JJ Horner said they grew up in Minnesota before moving to Arizona as teenagers. He said his brother was drawing and making political cartoons at a very young age and took an interest in politics. |
| Horner said while his brother was pigeonholed as a Trump supporter after a member of the Trump family shared one of his stories, he was always transparent about his views and it was obvious that he wasn’t. | Horner said while his brother was pigeonholed as a Trump supporter after a member of the Trump family shared one of his stories, he was always transparent about his views and it was obvious that he wasn’t. |
| “I think he just wanted people to just think for themselves and be credible for their actions,” JJ Horner said. “Read more; get more involved instead of just blindly sharing things.” | “I think he just wanted people to just think for themselves and be credible for their actions,” JJ Horner said. “Read more; get more involved instead of just blindly sharing things.” |
| US elections 2016 | |
| Phoenix | |
| Arizona | |
| Donald Trump | |
| US politics | |
| news | |
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