New Report Details Dangerous Normalization of Bigoted Conspiracy Theories in 118th Congress

Today, eight leading civil, human, and immigrant rights organizations are releasing a comprehensive new report dubbed, "The Bigoted Conspiracy Caucus." In it, the groups document a disturbing trend among a faction of the 118th Congress: the normalization and amplification of xenophobic "great replacement" and "invasion" conspiracy theories. This robust report documents the historical roots of these dangerous ideologies and their pervasive promotion by members of Congress, highlighting the urgent need for action.

"Invasion" conspiracy theories depict immigrants as existential threats to American “culture” and “traditions,” fueling rhetoric that implicitly encourages hate-fueled violence. This type of rhetoric feeds into narratives of the "great replacement," a bigoted conspiracy theory that falsely asserts Jews and others are orchestrating the deliberate replacement of white Americans with non-white immigrants. Similarly, "invasion" conspiracies depict immigrants as existential threats to American culture and traditions, fueling rhetoric that implicitly encourages hate-fueled violence.

The report documents how dozens of Members of Congress have actively amplified these conspiracy theories through legislative measures, public statements, and a significant volume of social media activity and press releases. This amplification not only endangers public safety but also contributes to the deterioration of democratic norms and practices.

As we approach the fifth anniversary of the anti-immigrant terrorist attack in El Paso, Texas, that killed 23 people on August 3, 2019, we are reminded of the deadly impact of this rhetoric. The Bigoted Conspiracy Caucus report concludes with a stark warning to Congressional leadership to take immediate and decisive action to address the proliferation of this dangerous conspiracy theory and its harmful effects on society.

Report: https://bigotedconspiracycaucus.org/#homeme

Roll-out video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68p-YbdZT9Y&list=TLGGZOe8sUZFPyowMTA4MjAyNAw.youtube.com/watch?v=68p-YbdZT9Y&list=TLGGZOe8sUZFPyowMTA4MjAyNA

Quotes:

According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice: “Members of Congress adopting an anti-democratic conspiracy theory rooted in white nationalism and antisemitism is a serious and urgent problem. As this new report documents, anti-semitism and white nationalism-rooted rhetoric is not an isolated problem, but rather a feature of the 118th Congress. We call on all Members of Congress to denounce and stop using bigoted conspiracies."

“The ‘great replacement’ and ‘invasion’ conspiracies are a danger to individuals, communities, and democracy itself,” said Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Washington Director of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action. “These lies have inspired violence and mass murder in places such as El Paso, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. But instead of calling out and marginalizing these reckless falsehoods, far too many members of Congress have instead amplified them and brought them into the mainstream for their own cynical gain. It is long past time to hold these elected officials accountable for their recklessness. American Jews will not be silent in the face of this threat not only to our safety, but to the safety of so many communities in our broader American family.

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said, “When lawmakers and other public figures normalize the ‘great replacement’ conspiracy and other extremist ideas – including by attacking immigrant communities to score political points – it leads to deadly violence and directly threatens our communities and our democracy. So much of this extremism is rooted in conspiracies about Jewish power and influence intended to paint immigrants and other communities as pawns of Jewish control. And as we’ve seen in El Paso – in addition to Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, Poway, Buffalo, and beyond – the consequences are tragic. Our leaders in Congress have a responsibility to actively call out and combat this bigotry and extremism to keep our communities safe.”

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) National Government Affairs and Advocacy Director Chris Habiby said, “The normalization by Members of Congress of hate-filled rhetoric based on antisocial conspiracy theories poses a threat to marginalized communities across the United States. These theories, rooted in white nationalism and supremacy, have been driving much of the dangerous action that we have seen come out of the 118th Congress. It is long past time for every elected official, and especially Congressional leadership, to unequivocally reject the use of these bigoted conspiracies by their colleagues and commit to opposing legislation derived from them.”

“HIAS joins our partner organizations in calling out the Members of Congress who regularly spread vicious conspiracy theories about immigrants, said Naomi Steinberg, Vice President, U.S. Policy & Advocacy, HIAS. Invasion and great replacement theory rhetoric, both deeply rooted in white nationalist and antisemitic tropes, are no longer a bug on the Hill, they are a regular feature. It is incumbent upon all of us to speak up to denounce this language every time we hear it and to insist upon good faith, fact-based debates about how to address immigration challenges in the U.S. rather than the dangerous hate slinging that has taken over the immigration debate in the halls of Congress and on campaign trails around the country.”

Lindsay Schubiner, Director of Programs at Western States Center, said, “Bigoted "invasion" rhetoric has fueled violence and mass murder in cities like El Paso, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. When members of Congress echo this rhetoric, they are elevating the risk of further violence. Western States Center urges members of Congress to denounce and forcefully push back against such hateful rhetoric by their colleagues. Too often, we have seen members spout dangerous, bigoted falsehoods, and rather than immediately being rebuked, condemned, and isolated, these members are welcomed into the mainstream. It's high time we hold these elected officials accountable for their recklessness. The Bigoted Conspiracy Caucus report shows how widespread this type of dangerous rhetoric has become among elected officials and how such ideas are influencing their governance.”