On HBO, Gosar poses Soros, Charlottesville conspiracies
In an HBO interview that airs Thursday night, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar suggests the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville was planned by “an Obama sympathizer” and that liberal activist George Soros turned his fellow Jews over to the Nazis.
The four-term Arizona Republican could not be reached Thursday afternoon to elaborate on the comments he made to Vice News, which produces a show for the cable network.
But in segments that Vice News shared to promote its story, Gosar appears to push the kinds of conspiracy theories touted in far-right outlets with dubious records for accuracy.
“Let’s look at the person that actually started the rally,” Gosar says in the interview. “It’s come to our attention that this is a person from Occupy Wall Street that was an Obama sympathizer. So, wait a minute, be careful where you start taking these people to.
“And look at the background. You know, you know George Soros is one of those people that actually helps back these individuals. Who is he? I think he’s from Hungary. I think he was Jewish. And I think he turned in his own people to the Nazis. Better be careful where we go with those.”
Asked whether he thinks Soros funded neo Nazis marching in Charlottesville, Gosar said, “Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out?”
Gosar’s comments come as the nation grapples with the rise of fake news, and were immediately linked to other right-wing conspiracies from sources such as Alex Jones, the commentator who has suggested the 2012 mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school didn’t happen and Sunday night’s massacre in Las Vegas was “scripted by deep state Democrats.”
Last month Gosar outlined his views on “dreamers,” the immigrant children who have been raised in the United States, in an interview with Frank Gaffney, an anti-Muslim activist who has peddled widely discredited conspiracies.
Gosar has attracted attention for blocking critics from his Facebook page this year and has responded by occasionally ridiculing hostile comments his office has received.
During his tenure in Congress, Gosar has established himself as among the more conservative members of the Republican Party.
He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, chairman of the Western Caucus, and a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump.