Today, Explained Who framed Mayor Pete?
May 8, 2019
Will Sommer, a Technology and internet reporter for the Daily Beast, dives into a bizarre plot where right-wing operatives tried to smear Mayor Pete Buttigieg with false sexual assault allegations. He unpacks the underhanded tactics used by figures like Jacob Wohl and Jack Berkman, spotlighting the rapid spread of misinformation. Discussions include the historical context of smear campaigns and their effect on political discourse today. Sommer also touches on the weaponization of allegations in the post-Me Too landscape and offers a quirky anecdote about personalized toothbrushes.
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Allegation Falls Apart
- The Daily Beast published a story shortly after the sexual assault allegations against Buttigieg surfaced.
- Then, Hunter Kelly, the accuser, recanted, claiming Wohl and Berkman had manipulated him.
Why Target Buttigieg?
- Will Sommer questions why Buttigieg was targeted, given his lower profile in the presidential race.
- It seems that Wohl and Berkman perceived him as a significant threat to Trump.
Mueller Smear Attempt
- Wohl and Berkman previously targeted Robert Mueller with a sexual assault allegation.
- Their scheme involved a fake intelligence agency with photos of celebrities as operatives, which quickly fell apart.