This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/business/media/las-vegas-massacre-infowars-conspiracy.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Las Vegas Massacre Gives InfoWars More Conspiracy Fodder Las Vegas Massacre Gives InfoWars More Conspiracy Fodder
(35 minutes later)
The mystery of why Stephen Paddock smuggled an arsenal into a Las Vegas hotel room before firing into a crowd of concertgoers, killing dozens and injuring hundreds, has only deepened in the days since the massacre. His motives remain elusive, his beliefs unclear.The mystery of why Stephen Paddock smuggled an arsenal into a Las Vegas hotel room before firing into a crowd of concertgoers, killing dozens and injuring hundreds, has only deepened in the days since the massacre. His motives remain elusive, his beliefs unclear.
That absence of information has provided an opening for right-wing media personalities like Alex Jones of InfoWars to proffer their own theories. Their ideas, often based on scant evidence, fall in line with common right-wing tropes about liberal conspiracies, and millions of Americans are listening.That absence of information has provided an opening for right-wing media personalities like Alex Jones of InfoWars to proffer their own theories. Their ideas, often based on scant evidence, fall in line with common right-wing tropes about liberal conspiracies, and millions of Americans are listening.
Mr. Jones — who has propagated conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012 and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks — has portrayed Mr. Paddock by turns as an agent of the Islamic State, a leftist activist, an anti-Trump radical and a possible stooge for a broader conspiracy intent on disrupting democracy.Mr. Jones — who has propagated conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012 and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks — has portrayed Mr. Paddock by turns as an agent of the Islamic State, a leftist activist, an anti-Trump radical and a possible stooge for a broader conspiracy intent on disrupting democracy.
“Could Stephen Paddock, the lone Vegas shooter, have been a patsy to kick off the left’s war with the right in the streets of America?” Mr. Jones wrote on his Facebook page last week. The post accompanied a video titled “Video Shows Second Shooter During Vegas Massacre,” which by Monday had been viewed about 1.1 million times.“Could Stephen Paddock, the lone Vegas shooter, have been a patsy to kick off the left’s war with the right in the streets of America?” Mr. Jones wrote on his Facebook page last week. The post accompanied a video titled “Video Shows Second Shooter During Vegas Massacre,” which by Monday had been viewed about 1.1 million times.
Investigators have worked feverishly to identify a motivation behind Mr. Paddock’s attack. Followers of InfoWars, however, heard a black-and-white story in the days after the mass shooting.Investigators have worked feverishly to identify a motivation behind Mr. Paddock’s attack. Followers of InfoWars, however, heard a black-and-white story in the days after the mass shooting.
“Clearly, there’s more than one shooter,” Mr. Jones said on his Friday radio show, citing high-ranking law enforcement officials whom he declined to name. “They said there’s no way he acted alone,” Mr. Jones added. “He had help.”“Clearly, there’s more than one shooter,” Mr. Jones said on his Friday radio show, citing high-ranking law enforcement officials whom he declined to name. “They said there’s no way he acted alone,” Mr. Jones added. “He had help.”
InfoWars has backed its claim of an accomplice by highlighting supposed evidence like a room service receipt from Mr. Paddock’s hotel room, which seemed to suggest two guests were present. So far, the authorities have said Mr. Paddock was the sole gunman.InfoWars has backed its claim of an accomplice by highlighting supposed evidence like a room service receipt from Mr. Paddock’s hotel room, which seemed to suggest two guests were present. So far, the authorities have said Mr. Paddock was the sole gunman.
Still, the fluid nature of the investigation has generated reports by mainstream outlets that can offer fuel for the conspiracy-minded. NBC News, for instance, reported on Friday afternoon that investigators had found a smartphone charger in Mr. Paddock’s hotel room that did not match his phones. Later, NBC News updated its report, saying the charger had been accounted for, and quoted a Las Vegas police official who was “confident” that nobody else had been in the room.Still, the fluid nature of the investigation has generated reports by mainstream outlets that can offer fuel for the conspiracy-minded. NBC News, for instance, reported on Friday afternoon that investigators had found a smartphone charger in Mr. Paddock’s hotel room that did not match his phones. Later, NBC News updated its report, saying the charger had been accounted for, and quoted a Las Vegas police official who was “confident” that nobody else had been in the room.
By Sunday, Mr. Jones had not backed down. “It’s a fact InfoWars has been the most accurate media operation so far, telling you that he did not act alone,” he said in a video posted to his Facebook page.By Sunday, Mr. Jones had not backed down. “It’s a fact InfoWars has been the most accurate media operation so far, telling you that he did not act alone,” he said in a video posted to his Facebook page.
Mr. Jones’s spin on Mr. Paddock has been amplified thanks to The Drudge Report. The influential website splashed several InfoWars stories about the massacre across its traffic-driving home page last week, whooshing Mr. Jones’s theories onto millions of screens.Mr. Jones’s spin on Mr. Paddock has been amplified thanks to The Drudge Report. The influential website splashed several InfoWars stories about the massacre across its traffic-driving home page last week, whooshing Mr. Jones’s theories onto millions of screens.
In Sunday’s video, Mr. Jones acknowledged the help. “Thanks to DrudgeReport.com magnifying those articles, having the courage to run our articles, a lot of people are now able to get more information to the police, and more information to the media,” he said.In Sunday’s video, Mr. Jones acknowledged the help. “Thanks to DrudgeReport.com magnifying those articles, having the courage to run our articles, a lot of people are now able to get more information to the police, and more information to the media,” he said.
This is not the first time InfoWars has spread unfounded theories about national tragedies. Mr. Jones repeated false rumors about a child abuse ring at a Washington pizzeria; a North Carolina man later fired a gun inside the restaurant. (Mr. Jones later apologized.)This is not the first time InfoWars has spread unfounded theories about national tragedies. Mr. Jones repeated false rumors about a child abuse ring at a Washington pizzeria; a North Carolina man later fired a gun inside the restaurant. (Mr. Jones later apologized.)
After the gun massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Mr. Jones repeatedly asserted that the episode was “completely fake,” prompting some listeners to harass grieving parents of victims. He has also called the 9/11 attacks a hoax and an “inside job.”After the gun massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Mr. Jones repeatedly asserted that the episode was “completely fake,” prompting some listeners to harass grieving parents of victims. He has also called the 9/11 attacks a hoax and an “inside job.”
Mr. Jones’s website reached more than 1.4 million unique visitors in June, according to the web tracking firm comScore. (Its numbers fell off in August, to 689,000 visitors; last November, nearly four million people visited.)Mr. Jones’s website reached more than 1.4 million unique visitors in June, according to the web tracking firm comScore. (Its numbers fell off in August, to 689,000 visitors; last November, nearly four million people visited.)
Whether Mr. Jones’s behavior is merely an act has come under debate: During a custody battle in April, a lawyer for Mr. Jones, Randall Wilhite, said his client was only playing a character. “He’s a performance artist,” Mr. Wilhite added.Whether Mr. Jones’s behavior is merely an act has come under debate: During a custody battle in April, a lawyer for Mr. Jones, Randall Wilhite, said his client was only playing a character. “He’s a performance artist,” Mr. Wilhite added.
Mr. Jones has insisted in interviews that he is trying to inform an audience that no longer trusts the traditional press. And he has attracted the approval of President Trump, who granted Mr. Jones an interview during the presidential campaign and has retweeted one of the site’s personalities, Paul Joseph Watson.Mr. Jones has insisted in interviews that he is trying to inform an audience that no longer trusts the traditional press. And he has attracted the approval of President Trump, who granted Mr. Jones an interview during the presidential campaign and has retweeted one of the site’s personalities, Paul Joseph Watson.
On Wednesday, Roger Stone, an InfoWars contributor and sometime Trump confidant, appeared on air with Mr. Jones to argue that the traditional news media was hiding facts about the Las Vegas massacre from the public.On Wednesday, Roger Stone, an InfoWars contributor and sometime Trump confidant, appeared on air with Mr. Jones to argue that the traditional news media was hiding facts about the Las Vegas massacre from the public.
Before bringing on Mr. Stone as his guest, Mr. Jones said, “All I know is, they’re trying to blame gun owners when it was patriots that got targeted. They’re making their move. The Democrats have said they’re going to have a huge uprising in October, November. It’s here.”Before bringing on Mr. Stone as his guest, Mr. Jones said, “All I know is, they’re trying to blame gun owners when it was patriots that got targeted. They’re making their move. The Democrats have said they’re going to have a huge uprising in October, November. It’s here.”
Citing a “high-level” C.I.A. official and “top psychiatrists from the federal government,” Mr. Jones added: “They’re saying clearly he’s antifa. Clearly, it’s the M.O., to trigger a helter-skelter revolution.”Citing a “high-level” C.I.A. official and “top psychiatrists from the federal government,” Mr. Jones added: “They’re saying clearly he’s antifa. Clearly, it’s the M.O., to trigger a helter-skelter revolution.”
Mr. Trump spent several days last week accusing NBC News of fabricating a story about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s referring to the president a “moron.” Asked about the NBC report, Mr. Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said during a White House press briefing that the administration was concerned about falsehoods spreading in the news media. Mr. Trump spent several days last week accusing NBC News of fabricating a story about Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s referring to the president as a “moron.” Asked about the NBC report, Mr. Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said during a White House press briefing that the administration was concerned about falsehoods spreading in the news media.
“We see a problem with any stories that are inaccurate or untruthful being presented to the American people as facts,” Ms. Sanders said.“We see a problem with any stories that are inaccurate or untruthful being presented to the American people as facts,” Ms. Sanders said.