Fox News host Tucker Carlson faced pushback Tuesday from Rep. Stephanie Murphy, Florida Democrat, after slamming her effort to keep sensitive information from Capitol insurrections and QAnon adherents.
The conservative commentator and host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” spent a portion of his program the night before criticizing Ms. Murphy’s recently proposed Security Clearance Improvement Act of 2021.
Critics of Mr. Carlson quickly accused him of having come to the defense of QAnon, whose proponents adhere to any of a menagerie of discredited fringe conspiracy theories.
Introduced in the aftermath of the U.S. Capitol being stormed, the bill would require the government to add two questions to a lengthy form that applicants must complete to obtain a security clearance: “Did you participate in the activities occurring at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, or in any similar activity?” and “Have you ever been a member of, associated with, or knowingly engaged in activities conducted by an organization or movement that spreads conspiracy theories and false information about the United States Government?”
Ms. Murphy, a former U.S. Department of Defense specialist, said the questions are needed to help prevent extremists from being trusted with access to national secrets and other classified information.
Blasting the bill on cable TV, however, Mr. Carlson interpreted the legislative proposal to argue the congresswoman was essentially seeking to control what Americans can and cannot believe and think.
“Listen as the geniuses explain how the single biggest threat to this country isn’t Chinese hegemony or even the coming hyperinflation, pretty much a certainty now, which was 100% caused by elite mismanagement of our economy. But no let’s not talk about that. The real threat is a forbidden idea. It’s something called QAnon,” Mr. Carlson said prior to playing a montage of related news coverage.
“Controlling the behavior of citizens is one of the basic prerogatives of any basic organized society. It’s why we have it,” Mr. Carlson said later during Monday’s airing of his evening opinion program. “But no democratic government can ever tell you what to think. Your mind belongs to you. It is yours and yours alone. Once politicians attempt to control what you believe, they are no longer politicians. They are by definition dictators. And if they succeed in controlling what you believe you are no longer a citizen, you are not a free man, you are a slave.”
Video of the monologue was soon shared on Twitter along with numerous claims from critics who accused Mr. Carlson of defending the delusional QAnon conspiracy theory movement and pandering to its proponents.
Simon Rosenberg, founder of the New Democrat Network liberal think tank, shared a copy of Mr. Carlson’s monologue on Twitter, commenting: “Line between the GOP and extremists is completely gone.”
“Tucker Carlson goes anti-anti-QAnon,” neoconservative commentator Bill Kristol remarked on Twitter early Tuesday. “Will much of the GOP be far behind?”
Ms. Murphy later responded to Mr. Carlson’s criticism while touting her bill on competing cable news network MSNBC, meanwhile.
“I’m not surprised to see someone like Tucker Carlson misconstruing this bill to incite fear and to create space for the radical right-wing views to continue to be a part of our society,” Ms. Murphy said.
“I think that if an American participated in the Capitol attack or if they subscribe to the dangerous and anti-government views of QAnon, that have been linked to that attack, then they really have no business being entrusted with our national secrets,” Ms. Murphy said during the segment. Answering “yes” to either question would not automatically disqualify an applicant, she noted.
Originated on the internet in 2017, QAnon was on the FBI’s radar well before some of its adherents were among the mobs of people who stormed Capitol Hill during the insurrection that happened this month.
“QAnon is a crazy conspiracy theory that says former President Trump was under assault by Satan worshippers and, as a result, government leaders should be arrested, tried, and executed,” Ms. Murphy explained on MSNBC. “How somebody who discloses their affiliation with these organizations or these activities would be deemed suitable to hold a clearance and serve this country and uphold our constitution is hard for me to imagine.”
Five people died as a result of the Capitol being stormed, which occurred as members of Congress met inside to officially recognize the results of November’s race between Mr. Trump and President Biden.
The House impeached Mr. Trump the following week for inciting an insurrection. A trial is accordingly set to start on Capitol Hill next month with the Senate acting as his jury.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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